Superior mesenteric vein thrombosis and oral contraceptives.

Women taking oral contraceptives have an increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (Inman & Vessey 1968). The incidence of superficial vein thrombosis is increased (Royal College of General Practitioners, 1967), and idiopathic cerebral vein thrombosis may occur in these patients (Atkinson, Fairburn & Heathfield, 1970). It might be expected therefore that the visceral venous system would also be liable to thrombosis in patients taking oral contraceptives. Idiopathic superior mesenteric vein thrombosis is an uncommon but well documented condition (Berry & Bougas, 1950; Naitove & Weismann, 1965) that occurs most often in middle-aged or elderly patients. However, four cases have already been reported in young women taking oral contraceptives (Reed & Coon, 1963; Civetta & Kolodny, 1970; Hurwitz et al., 1970) and this paper gives an account of another five such cases; one of these has been seen personally and details of the other four have been obtained with the help of the Committee on Safety of Drugs.