PORTAL HYPERTENSION

pre-hepatic (no hepatomegaly):

portal vein thrombosis:

hypercoagulability state

umbilical sepsis in neonates (commonest cause in children)

trauma

pyelephlebitis secondary to abdominal surgery (rare)

extrinsic compression of portal vein:

pancreatic disease

lymphadenopathy at porta hepatis

other tumours

congenital:

atresia of portal vein

intra-hepatic:

liver cirrhosis (from any cause)

alcoholic hepatitis (without cirrhosis)

myeloproliferative disease

congenital hepatic fibrosis

nodular regenerative hyperplasia

schistosomiasis (Schistosoma mansoni or S. japonicum) - pre-sinusoidal cause of portal hypertensiion

post-hepatic (tender hepatomegaly):

hepatic vein thrombosis [Budd-Chiari syndrome; hypercoagulability state]

congenital webs in IVC or hepatic veins

invasion of IVC by tumour, especially renal cell carcinoma

polycystic disease of liver

constrictive pericarditis or right ventricular failure

posterior abdominal wall sarcomas

hepatocellular carcinoma

hepatic infection, e.g. hydatid cyst

radiotherapy

trauma to liver

toxic alkaloids in bush tea

due to increased portal blood flow (rare):

multiple arterio-venous fistulae

increased splenic blood flow in splenomegaly

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