A report of a case: unusual portosystemic shunt in a hernia sac who has portal hypertension due to cirrhosis

Variations in the origin and branching pattern of splenic vein (SV) are relatively rare and asymptomatic. We describe here only the first case in the literature of accessory SV in hernia sac due to previous operation and increased portal pressure because of cirrhosis.

This report describes a 66-year-old female, with a history of total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) due to uterine myomatosis, signs of cirrhosis onset due to hepatitis B, who had been presented with recurrent abdominal pain attacks. Ultrasonography (USG) findings were nothing pathologic except a gallstone in the gallbladder without cholecystitis signs. Incisional hernia was found to contain an accessory SV in the hernia sac arising from a branch of main SV in the hilum, ongoing to the subcutaneous fat tissue and draining to the superficial femoral vein on computed tomography (CT). Videoendoscopy showed wide gastritis and multiple ulcers. The patient’s symptoms diminished with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment and they then underwent a hernia repair surgery with Prolene mesh patch as elective surgery.

A thorough knowledge of the normal anatomy, most frequent variations and congenital or acquired anomalies of the spleno-portal axis has great importance for hepatopancreaticobiliary and emergency surgical procedures. It is, therefore, essential for preoperative evaluation of the anatomical details of the spleno-portal venous axis and should be evaluated with imaging methods in detail.