EXTRAHEPATIC PORTAL VENOUS STENOSIS - TREATMENT WITH PERCUTANEOUS TRANSHEPATIC STENT PLACEMENT

PREHEPATIC portal venous hypertension can be caused by a number of pro cesses including portal venous thrombosis, arteriovenous fistula, and neoplastic obstruction. Treatment options have included direct surgica l repair, decompression by means of portacaval or mesocaval shunting, and endoscopic sclerotherapy. The use of endovascular stents has recen tly permitted percutaneous treatment of this condition. We report the successful treatment of two patients with extrahepatic portal venous s tenosis. Both patients underwent placement of vascular stents to allev iate persistent bleeding caused by a neoplastic stricture in one patie nt and postoperative narrowing in the other. The first stent remained effectively patent for 5 months (until the patient's death), and the s econd stent was patent at 19 months.