Overview
| Site of Anastomosis | Clinical Sign | Portal ↔ Systemic |
| Esophagus | Esophageal varices | Left gastric ↔ esophageal |
| Umbilicus | Caput medusae | Paraumbilical ↔ superficial, inferior, and superior epigastric |
| Rectum | Anorectal varices (someterims referred to as internal hemorrhoids though they are different) | Superior rectal ↔ middle and inferior rectal |
- Portal hypertension
- symptoms
- varices of “gut, butt, and caput (medusae)”
- esophageal varices
- caput medusae
- anorectal varices (sometimes referred to as hemorrhoids)
- varices of “gut, butt, and caput (medusae)”
- portal-systemic anastomoses
- inferior esophagus
- systemic circulation: esophageal branches of azygos vein
- portal circulation: esophageal branch of left gastric vein
- clinical symptom: esophageal varices
- anal canal (rectum)
- systemic circulation: middle and inferior rectal vein
- portal circulation: superior rectal vein
- clinical symptom: anorectal varices (sometimes referred to as hemorrhoids)
- paraumbilical region
- systemic circulation: superficial, inferior, and superior epigastric vein
- portal circulation: paraumbilical veins
- clinical symptom: caput medusae
- inferior esophagus
- treatment
- relieve portal hypertension by shunting blood to systemic circulation by
- inserting a portocaval shunt between portal and hepatic vein
- connecting portal vein to IVC
- relieve portal hypertension by shunting blood to systemic circulation by
- symptoms