PORTAL-HYPERTENSION WITH INTRAHEPATIC BLO CK DURING CHRONIC LYMPHOID LEUKEMIA

A 83-year-old woman with chronic lymphoid leukemia - well controlled f or 14 years with chemotherapy - was admitted for ascitis due to portal hypertension. Liver biopsy showed major portal infiltration with mono morphic little lymphocytes. Portal hypertension during chronic lymphoi d leukemia might be caused by this periportal lymphoid infiltration or by intraportal venous thrombosis due to thrombophilia or by increasin g of hepatic blood flow. Our observation showed that hepatic localizat ions of the disease may induce acute symptoms even when the lymphoid l eukemia seems to be under control both in terms of blood parameters an d lymphadenopathy.