Pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital portosystemic shunts treated with transcatheter embolization and pulmonary vasodilators

Cardiopulmonary abnormalities are often present in patients with liver diseases. We herein report a case of congenital portosystemic shunts complicated by hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) and portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH). A 57-year-old woman complained of dyspnea and was subsequently diagnosed with HPS and PoPH caused by congenital portosystemic shunts. Although shunt closure by transcatheter embolization was successfully performed, her dyspnea worsened and pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance elevated. Conventional vasodilator therapy was started, resulting in an improvement of pulmonary hypertension (PH). In some patients with congenital portosystemic shunts, shunt closure could exacerbate PH, and vasodilator therapy may be effective.