Splanchnic vein thrombosis: new risk factors and management

Splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) is a rather heterogeneous disease which involve one or more abdominal veins draining from different organs, including small and large bowel, liver, spleen and pancreas, and it may be associated with a wide spectrum of underlying disorders, either local or systemic. The role of new risk factors for SVT, including the JAK2 V617F mutation and the paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clone, has been highlighted in recent years. The clinical presentations of SVT are variable and, not uncommonly, may include the concomitant presence of extensive thrombosis and gastrointestinal bleeding, thus representing a clinical challenge for treatment decisions. High quality evidence on the acute and long-term management is substantially lacking, thus requiring further research on SVT. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.