Portal and mesenteric venous calcification in patient with advanced cirrhosis

Abstract

Rationale: The incidence of portal and mesenteric venous calcifications in patients with cirrhosis has rarely been reported. It is also very difficult to determine the vascular lesions in preoperative imaging examination. The liver cirrhosis patients associated with portal venous calcification have high postoperative complications and mortality, but poor prognosis. Patient concerns: We present a patient (45-year-old male), who was admitted to the hospital with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension associated symptoms. Diagnoses: Abdominal imaging computed tomography confirmed the presence of calcification in the portal vein system. Interventions: The patient underwent allogeneic liver transplantation. Outcomes: The patient died 2 days after liver transplantation. Lessons: Calcification in the portal vein system is extremely rare, and always occurs in patients with long-standing liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension gastroesophageal varices and splenomegaly. The presence of portal vein calcification on computed tomography may be a sign of portal vein thrombosis, which may result in a difficult transplantation, and poor prognosis.