Blood clots in the main artery to the liver (hepatic artery) after a liver transplant
Swelling of blood vessels leading to reduced blood flow (vasculitis)
Symptoms
If low blood pressure continues for a long time, you may feel weak and lightheaded. However, the period of low blood pressure may be brief and produce no symptoms. Damage to the liver cells usually does not cause symptoms until it affects liver function.
Blood clots in the liver's main artery may cause abdominal pain.
Signs and tests
The following tests will be done:
Blood tests to check liver function (AST and ALT )
Doppler ultrasound of the liver's blood vessels
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause. Low blood pressure and blood clots must be properly treated.
Expectations (prognosis)
Patients generally recover if the illness causing hepatic ischemia can be treated. Death from liver failure due to hepatic ischemia is very rare.
Complications
Liver failure is a rare but life-threatening complication.
Calling your health care provider
See your health care provider right away if you have persistent weakness or symptoms of shock or dehydration.
Prevention
Quickly treating the causes of low blood pressure may prevent hepatic ischemia.
Stevens WE, Patil A. Vascular disease of the liver. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ eds. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 83.
Review Date:
8/10/2012
Reviewed By:
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. 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. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
