Management of portal vein thrombosis in liver cirrhosis

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a fairly common complication of liver cirrhosis; occlusive PVT can be associated with poor prognosis, especially in patients with a prior history of bleedingA randomized controlled trial has shown that anticoagulation is effective for the primary prevention of PVT in liver cirrhosis, and might also improve liver function and survivalFurther randomized trials with a larger sample size are warranted to confirm these findingsEvidence from several case series has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of anticoagulation therapy and a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for the management of PVT in liver cirrhosisFuture research should aim to weigh the benefits of various treatment modalities against the risks that they will bring and to establish their different timings and indications