However, as ascites was exudative, we decided to perform diagnostic laparoscopy in order to formally rule out tumoral peritoneal involvement, especially peritoneal carcinomatosis or peritoneal extramedullary hematopoiesis. Laparoscopy was normal, and peritoneal and liver biopsies were performed. Histological examination of peritoneal samples didn’t show peritoneal tumoral invasion by hematopoietic this website or other malignant cells. Histological examination of liver samples

disclosed extra medullar hematopoiesis localized into hepatic sinusoid vessels, sinusoidal fibrosis and parenchymal nodularity with thin incomplete septa (Figure 3 and Figure 4). The diagnosis of portal hypertension secondary to Decitabine sinusoidal obstruction due to essential thrombocythemia was the most likely. Treatment possibilities were discussed by hemato-oncologist: anticoagulation for

prevention of thrombotic events was avoided because of high risk of bleeding due to esophageal varices, cytoreductive treatment was not indicated as platelet cells count was less than 1,500,000/mm3. Thus, patient was treated symptomatically by iterative paracentesis as salt free diet and diuretics were insufficient for ascites, elastic ligature for esophageal varices and transfusion of packet red blood cells for anemia. Exudative ascites has multiple etiologies among which the most frequent are represented by neoplasic, tuberculosis, and cardiac. Other etiologies such as suprahepatic portal hypertension including hepatic vein thrombosis or inferior vena cava obstruction are less common [1]. Intrahepatic portal

hypertension usually induces transsudative ascites, however, 15% of patients with cirrhosis have exudative ascites in the absence of other common causes [2]. Essential thrombocythemia is an acquired myeloproliferative disorder characterized by a sustained elevation of platelet number with a tendency for thrombosis and hemorrhage [3] and [4]. The predominant Reverse transcriptase clinical features are persistent thrombocytosis with an increased platelet count, megakaryocytic hyperplasia and hemorrhagic or thrombotic tendency with a predisposition to vascular occlusive events [5]. Thus, deep vein thrombosis represents a potentially serious and eventually life-threatening event related to the region involved as it is the case in hepatic or portal vein thrombosis [6]. This myeloproliferative disorder leads to ineffective hematopoiesis and thus extramedullar hepatopoiesis, predominantly the spleen. However, extramedullar hematopoiesis may also occur in other organs such as the liver [7]. Physiopathology of portal hypertension in essential thrombocythemia is still controversial.