Budd-Chiari syndrome; Hepatic veno-occlusive disease

Treatment varies, depending on the cause of the blockage.

Medical treatments:

• Blood-thinning (anticoagulation) medications
• Clot-busting drugs (thrombolytic treatment)
• Treatment for the liver disease, including ascites

Surgical treatments:

• Angioplasty and stent placement
• Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)
• Venous shunt surgery

Hepatic vein obstruction can get worse and lead to liver failure, which can be life-threatening.

Call your health care provider if:

• You have symptoms of hepatic vein obstruction
• You are being treated for this condition and you develop new symptoms

Images

Digestive system organs

Review Date: 07/07/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)