Successful treatment of extensive splanchnic vein thrombosis in a patient with mycosis fungoides

A 33-year-old man of a Middle Eastern origin presented to us with abdominal pain and distension secondary to refractory ascites of 1-month duration. The patient had a history of taking oral retinoic acid 25 mg for 4 months for mycosis fungoides. Investigations revealed thrombosis of hepatic veins with extensive thrombosis of the porto-mesenteric axis. A combination of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, balloon angioplasty and thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was successfully used to treat his condition.