The Prevalence of Portal Vein Thrombosis in Children under 3 Years Old with History of Neonatal Umbilical Vein Catheterization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is one of the most common causes of extrahepatic portal hypertension in children, which may follow neonatal umbilical vein catheterization. The incidence rates of catheter-related PVT, in infants and children vary in different studies. This study aimed to determine PVT incidence in the children under 3 years old with a history of neonatal umbilical vein catheterization in the NICU of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad- Iran. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study included 38 children with a history of hospitalization in the NICU of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad-Iran, during 2012 to 2013 for whom umbilical vein catheterization had been performed. The Children’s histories were taken and they were examined. Color Doppler ultrasound was performed on them. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS-13 and descriptive statistics, t-test, Fisher s exact test. Results Fourteen (36.8%) and 24 (63.2%) of the infants were males and females, respectively. Mean age of the infants was 33.1±3.55 months. PVT evidence in a child raises a 2.6% PVT incidence. No statistically significant relationship was observed among gender, age, catheter type, and catheterization duration and PVT. A statistically significant relationship was observed between spleen size and portal vein size in ultrasound and PVT (P<0.05). The liver and spleen examination was only abnormal, in the patient with thrombosis. Conclusion The study findings suggest a 2.6% incidence for PVT. In addition, neonatal umbilical catheterization causes PVT during childhood.

Keywords:

neonate , NICU , Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) , Umbilical catheterization