Hepatic Portal Venous Gas in Emergency Department: A Case Report

Abstract

Hepatic portal venous gas is a rare condition. It can be caused by mesenteric ischemia, blunt abdominal trauma, bowel obstruction and intra-abdominal infections. A 73-year-old man had vomiting for 15 days and severe abdominal pain for 2 days. Abdominal examination showed widespread tenderness and defense. Computed tomography showed gas images in the portal and mesenteric veins (porto-mesenteric venous gas), wall thickening in all intestinal loops and intramural gas image in the intestinal wall (pneumotosis intestinalis). The patient who had a high surgical risk died after the operation. In this article, we aimed to discuss the differential diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of HPVG in patients with current literature.