Portal vein air embolization after blunt abdominal trauma: a case report and review of the literature.

Gas in the portal vein is a rare and often fatal condition in surgical patients. However, the presence of gas in the mesenteric and portal veins in association with abdominal trauma is a transient incidental finding that resolves spontaneously. We describe a young patient with Crohn's disease who suffered air embolism of the portal veins secondary to blunt abdominal trauma. The condition was clinically benign and resolved spontaneously. The pathogenesis is discussed and a review of the literature is provided.