Section 10. Liver and Gallbladder Disorders

Chapter 138. Blood Vessel Disorders of the Liver

Topics: Introduction | Abnormalities of the Hepatic Artery | Veno-occlusive Disease | Budd-Chiari Syndrome | Portal Vein Thrombosis | Blood Vessel Disorders Resulting From Other Diseases

Blood Vessel Disorders Resulting From Other Diseases

Severe heart failure can cause increased pressure in the hepatic veins (the veins through which blood leaves the liver). This increased pressure can eventually cause liver damage. Treating the heart failure often allows normal liver function to resume.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder that affects red blood cells (see Section 14, Chapter 172). In this disorder, abnormally shaped red blood cells may block blood vessels inside the liver, causing liver damage.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Rendu-Osler-Weber disease (see Section 14, Chapter 173)) is an inherited disorder that can affect the liver. When the liver is affected, small areas of abnormally wide blood vessels (telangiectasia) develop in the liver. These abnormal blood vessels create short connections (shunts) between arteries and veins. The shunts can cause severe heart failure, which can further damage and enlarge the liver. The shunted blood flow also produces a continuous roaring noise (bruit) that can be heard through a stethoscope. Also typical in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia are scars affecting parts of the liver (cirrhosis and fibrosis) and noncancerous (benign) tumors composed of blood vessels (hemangiomas).