Case number 9 : superior mesenteric venous thrombosis

Mr. G.B., a 69-year-old gentleman, was admitted with severe periumbilical pain radiating to the left lower quadrant. A diagnostic CT scan revealed superior mesenteric vein thrombosis as the underlying cause for the pain. In view of the fact that there were no contraindications to thrombolysis, it was possible to manage this patient with medical treatment using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA; Alteplase). The patient’s condition improved and he was deemed fit for discharge on long-term warfarin ten days after admission. The aetiology of thrombus formation in this gentleman is not as yet known. Further investigations will need to be carried out in order to find the underlying cause.peer-reviewe