Budd-Chiari syndrome

Budd-Chiari syndrome is a condition in which occlusion or obstruction of the hepatic veins prevents normal outflow of blood from the liver. Symptoms vary but may include the classic triad of abdominal pain, ascites and liver enlargement, and untreated disease can progress to liver failure. This rare condition affects approximately one in a million adults, typically appearing in younger adults with a median diagnosis age between 35 and 40, affecting males and females equally. It presents in fulminant, acute, chronic or asymptomatic forms, with the subacute presentation most common, and certain populations, including those with hypercoagulable disorders, polycythemia vera and hepatocellular carcinoma, face elevated risk.