Open AccessHyperammonemia of unknown origin
Author(s) -
Francesca Molino
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
clinical management issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2283-3137
pISSN - 1973-4832
DOI - 10.7175/cmi.v4i3s.1148
Subject(s) - medicine , portal hypertension , cirrhosis , pancytopenia , radiology , abdomen , hyperammonemia , liver function tests , chronic liver disease , encephalopathy , gastroenterology , liver disease , liver function , bone marrow
Idiopathic portal hypertension is a benign long-standing non-cirrhotic portal hypertension with no typical laboratory findings and absence of stigmata of chronic liver disease. The disease is diagnosed by the presence of evidence of portal hypertension with preserved liver function and absence of extrahepatic portal vein obstruction. We report the case of a 71-year-old woman who was admitted in hospital with encephalopathy and hyperammonemia. Liver biochemical tests excluded cirrhosis but revealed pancytopenia; preliminary abdomen ultrasound was normal. Ultrasound doppler and abdomen computed tomography of portal vein revealed patent portal vein with impaired portal intrahepatic perfusion and portal-systemic shunts.