Hepatic portal venous gas in diverticulitis: survival in a steroid-treated patient
R. P. Cambria and M. N. Margolies
Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) in the adult is usually associated with
bowel necrosis. Together these have an 80% mortality. However, HPVG may
occur as a result of a variety of other pathologic conditions. We studied
what we believe is the second known case resulting from sigmoid
diverticulitis. This patient's survival was unexpected, because bowel
perforation and pathologically demonstrated septic phlebitis occurred
during the patient's long-term corticosteroid therapy.
