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Liver Vascular Anomalies & Portal Hypertension Clinic

The Pediatric Liver Vascular Anomalies and Portal Hypertension Clinic cares for infants, children and teens with a variety of conditions affecting blood flow through the liver. Our expertise includes treating blockages in the portal vein (the vessel that brings blood from the digestive tract to the liver), which can lead to abnormally high pressure and cause bleeding or other complications.

The clinic's team includes pediatric liver specialists, imaging experts, interventional radiologists, and surgeons who specialize in vascular disorders of the liver, from common problems to the most rare and complex. We offer innovative treatments that restore normal blood flow through the liver, including minimally invasive procedures to re-open a blocked portal vein. We are one of the few medical centers in the nation using Rex shunt surgery to relieve portal hypertension (elevated pressure in the portal vein).

The liver's vascular – or circulatory – system is made up of arteries, veins, capillaries and lymph vessels that move blood and lymph (fluid containing white blood cells as well as proteins and fats) through the liver. In addition to portal vein problems, disorders affecting this system include hemangiomas (noncancerous skin growths formed from blood vessels) and arteriovenous malformations (abnormal blood vessel tangles that disrupt blood flow and can rupture).

As experts in preventing and treating vascular conditions, we offer the full range of therapeutic options, including medications, surgery, endoscopy and interventional radiology, which uses imaging to facilitate precise, minimally invasive procedures to resolve problems that once required traditional surgery.

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    Awards & recognition

    • Ranked among the nation's best in 11 specialties

    • One of the nation's best for gastroenterology & GI surgery

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    What to Bring

    • Photo I.D.
    • Health insurance card
    • Insurance authorization, if required
    • Doctor's referral, if required
    • Recent test results related to your child's condition
    • List of medications, including dosages, plus any your child is allergic to
    • List of questions you may have
    • Device or paper for taking notes

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    • ucsf-division-of-pediatric-gi-hepatology-and-nutrition-research-2x

      UCSF Division of Pediatric GI, Hepatology & Nutrition Research

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