"Primary" Pulmonary Hypertension with Coexisting Portal Hypertension

Six cases are described in which there was a coexisting pulmonary arterial and portal venous hypertension. In 5 of the cases, the pulmonary vascular lesions responsible for the pulmonary hypertension resembled those seen in cases of recurrent embolization. Three of the cases had portal venous thromboses. One of these also had thrombosis of esophageal varices. These thrombi may have been the site of origin for pulmonary emboli. Other possible causes of the pulmonary vascular lesions are also discussed. In one case, there was a severe necrotizing arteritis in the pulmonary arterial tree.