Postpartum Budd-Chiari syndrome with prolonged hypercoagulability state
Article Abstract:
Budd-Chiari syndrome, a disorder of the blood circulation in the liver, is caused by blockage of the veins leading from the liver. The condition has rarely been seen to occur in pregnant women after delivery. A 29-year-old woman, who delivered her third child three weeks earlier, developed swelling in her abdomen and legs, epigastric pain, and weakness. On examination, her liver appeared enlarged, and she had ascites, an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. Deep vein thrombosis, blood clot formation in the deep veins in the legs, was also noted. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the collapse of the veins leading from the liver and detected a clot in the inferior vena cava vein. Heparin anticoagulation therapy cleared the deep vein thrombosis but did little to correct the ascites. The clot-dissolving drug streptokinase improved the blood flow through the vena cava but liver veins remained blocked. An artificial bypass shunt was inserted to help the flow of blood. The patient's coagulation system entered a heightened state. Despite efforts to improve widespread coagulation, kidney and liver functioning deteriorated and the patient died nine months after delivery. The unusually long state of hypercoagulability and continued cascading of events after delivery contributed to the development of deep vein and liver vein thrombosis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-9378
Year: 1990
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Sturge-Weber syndrome in pregnancy
Article Abstract:
The Sturge-Weber syndrome may be a rare complication of pregnancy, causing seizures even after delivery. A 24-year-old pregnant woman with a history of seizures experienced seizures during pregnancy. She was observed to have a port-wine stain on her left forehead and eye, which is an area related to the trigeminal nerve. She gave birth to a healthy baby, and four days later experienced severe seizures. A brain scan revealed a small left brain hemorrhage and a small tumor involving small blood vessels, indicating Sturge-Weber syndrome. Seizures continued two months after delivery, but could be controlled with phenytoin and carbamazepine. A port-wine stain in the trigeminal nerve region appearing during pregnancy may indicate a malformation of blood vessels in the head that could cause seizures.
Publication Name: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-9378
Year: 1995
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