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©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2009; 15(42): 5368-5370
Published online Nov 14, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5368
Published online Nov 14, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5368
A latent form of essential thrombocythemia presenting as portal cavernoma
Xiao-Yan Cai, Wei Zhou, De-Fei Hong, Xiu-Jun Cai, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Institute of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Cai XY contributed to this work; Cai XY, Zhou W, Hong DF and Cai XJ designed the research; Cai XY, Zhou W and Hong DF performed the research; Cai XY and Zhou W drafted the paper; Hong DF and Cai XJ revised the paper.
Correspondence to: Xiu-Jun Cai, Professor, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Institute of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China. cxjzu@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-571-86006281 Fax: +86-571-86006605
Received: August 18, 2009
Revised: October 12, 2009
Accepted: October 19, 2009
Published online: November 14, 2009
Revised: October 12, 2009
Accepted: October 19, 2009
Published online: November 14, 2009
Abstract
Essential thrombocythemia is frequently associated with abdominal thrombotic complications including portal cavernoma as a consequence of chronic portal vein thrombosis. Essential thrombocythemia in a latent form is difficult to identify at onset due to the absence of an overt disease phenotype. In the presented case report, the diagnosis of essential thrombocythemia was initially missed because the typical disease phenotype was masked by bleeding and hypersplenism. The correct diagnosis was only reached when the patient experienced persistent thrombocytosis and pseudohyperkalemia after a shunt operation.