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Abstract Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) is a common condition, with clinically recognized deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Patients with chronic liver diseases are at risk of developing venous thrombosis. Portal vein thrombosis was detected in 7% and DVT in 5.5%. This could be attributed to defects in production of the natural anticoagulants: Antithrombin III, Protein C and Protein S. In fact, in cirrhotic livers obstruction of small intrahepatic portal hepatic veins is observed almost invaiability. Thus changes in the composition of the blood towards a hypercoagulable state in combination with changes in the endothelium of intrahepatic vessels and/or in intrahepatic blood flow, which often develop in chronic liver disease with fibrosis, certainly favour the development of thrombosis in intrahepatic veins. |