Perioperative Challenges in a Septic Shock Patient With Extensive Splanchnic and Extra-Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis Up to the Right Atrium

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) has a significant disease burden worldwide and comprises deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT most commonly occurs in the lower extremities, very rarely it can present in the splanchnic venous circulation or inferior vena cava or both. We report an unusual presentation of a 68-year-old woman with septic shock secondary to ischemic bowel, complicated by non-tumor related, extensive right hepatic vein thrombosis extending up to the inferior vena cava (IVC) and right atrium. She underwent bowel resection surgery emergently and was started on systemic anticoagulation in the perioperative period after an extensive evaluation and resuscitation. She was managed by a multidisciplinary team during her admission and was discharged after four weeks. This case poses an interesting therapeutic challenge to the team as there is little literature to guide treatment in a critically ill patient with ischemic bowel, septic shock with extensive splanchnic and IVC thrombosis who also had likely pseudo-heparin resistance with artifactual activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) values. This case report seeks to share our experience of a multidisciplinary and patient-centric approach in this rare presentation of a disease spectrum.