Shedding Light on the Pathogenesis of Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis

Splanchnic vein thrombosis is a rare but potentially life-threatening manifestation of venous thromboembolism, with challenging implications both at the pathological and therapeutic level. It is frequently associated with liver cirrhosis, but it could also be provoked by myeloproliferative disorders, cancer of various gastroenterological origin, abdominal infections and thrombophilia. A portion of splanchnic vein thrombosis is still classified as idiopathic. Here, we review the mechanisms of splanchnic vein thrombosis, including new insights on the role of clonal hematopoiesis in idiopathic SVT pathogenesis, with important implications from the therapeutic standpoint.

Automated summary

Splanchnic vein thrombosis is a rare but potentially life-threatening manifestation of venous thromboembolism that poses challenges in terms of pathology and treatment. It is commonly associated with liver cirrhosis, but can also be caused by myeloproliferative disorders, gastroenterological cancers, abdominal infections, and thrombophilia. Some cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis remain idiopathic. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of splanchnic vein thrombosis, including new insights on the role of clonal hematopoiesis in the development of idiopathic SVT, which have important implications for treatment.