Chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome as a rare complication of Crohn's disease: a case report

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Jun;22(6):761-4. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0b013e32832dd84a.

Abstract

The Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is characterized by hepatic venous outflow obstruction involving the hepatic veins, inferior vena cava, or both. BCS has occasionally been reported in the literature as a very rare complication of ulcerative colitis. However, association of Crohn's disease (CD) and BCS is extremely rare with only a single case reported in the world literature to date. We report a case of a young woman with chronically active, therapy-resistant CD who developed massive ascites, elevation of liver enzymes, and coagulopathy in the course of her disease. She was subsequently diagnosed with BCS for which a successful liver transplantation was performed. Chronically active therapy resistant CD and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene mutation have been identified as possible risk factors for development of BCS in this patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Ascites / diagnostic imaging
  • Ascites / pathology
  • Budd-Chiari Syndrome / diagnostic imaging*
  • Budd-Chiari Syndrome / etiology
  • Budd-Chiari Syndrome / surgery*
  • Crohn Disease / complications*
  • Female
  • Hepatic Veins / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Liver / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / genetics
  • Mutation
  • Phlebography
  • Risk Factors
  • Tacrolimus / therapeutic use
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vena Cava, Inferior / diagnostic imaging
  • Warfarin / therapeutic use
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Warfarin
  • Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)
  • Tacrolimus