Mesenteric vein thrombosis treated successfully with ultrasound augmented thrombolysis

Mesenteric vein thrombosis is a potentially fatal condition that is associated with better outcomes with early diagnosis and inter- vention. A 32-year-old-man with Down syndrome presented with abdominal pain and was found to have extensive porto-spleno- mesenteric thrombosis with early bowel ischemia on computed tomography. He was treated successfully with ultrasound aug- mented thrombolysis. Ultrasound can improve efficiency of throm- bolysis, decreasing the time required for thrombolysis by half, decrease thrombolytic dose and monitoring time and thus reduce overall costs and complications seen with long thrombolysis times. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2012, 75, 55-57).