Portal Vein Thrombosis in the Emergency Department

The portal vein is formed by the confluence of the splenic and superior mesenteric veins that drain the spleen in the small intestine respectively. An occlusion of the portal vein by thrombus typically will occur in either cerotics and or patients who are in prophrombotic states. The presentation, if not the long term morbidity mortality in this scenario depends on whether the clot has extended back into other confluence, splenic veins and the intestine.