Life-threatening bleeding from peristomal varices after cystoprostatectomy: multimodal approach in a cirrhotic, encephalopathic patient with severe portal hypertension

Case Rep Urol. 2015:2015:785010. doi: 10.1155/2015/785010. Epub 2015 Jan 29.

Abstract

The bleeding of peristomal varices due to a portosystemic shunt is rare but potentially life-threatening in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. The scarce case reports in the literature recommend transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) to prevent further bleeding. We report on a 72-year-old man who was referred to our hospital because of life-threatening bleeding from peristomal varices, three years after radical cystoprostatectomy for invasive bladder cancer. CT imaging showed liver cirrhosis with a prominent portosystemic shunt leading to massively enlarged peristomal varices. TIPS was taken into consideration, but not possible due to hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Medical therapy with lactulose and the nonselective beta-blocker carvedilol was initiated to treat HE and portal hypertension. In a second step, the portosystemic shunt was percutaneously embolized. Here, we present a multimodal approach to treat intractable bleeding from peristomal varices in a patient with ileal conduit urinary diversion, not suitable for TIPS.