A Case of Spontaneous Portal Vein Thrombosis After Splenectomy and its Resolution

ABSTRACT

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare but serious complication of splenectomy that is more common in patients with hematologic disorders (hemolytic anemia, myeloproliferative disease, etc.), but relatively rare when splenectomy is conducted because of trauma. We present the case of a 42-year-old woman, admitted for abdominal trauma, who produced a computed tomography (CT) scan showing a grade IV splenic laceration with perisplenic hematoma and subsequently underwent splenectomy. Preoperatively, a hematologic workup revealed no underlying platelet or coagulation disorder. The patient developed PVT in her anterosuperior branch of the right portal vein and anticoagulation treatment was immediately started. After the event was resolved, no symptoms of PVT were observed, which was confirmed by laboratory and radiologic findings. In summary, we report a case of spontaneous PVT after splenectomy for trauma and its successful resolution with anticoagulation treatment.