Thrombosis often occurs secondary to:
1. Liver cirrhosis or extracorporeal compression causing portal vein congestion and blood stasis.
2. Intra-abdominal suppurative infections, such as gangrenous appendicitis, ulcerative colitis, strangulated hernia, etc.
3. Certain blood abnormalities, such as polycythemia vera, and hypercoagulable states caused by oral contraceptives.
4. Injuries caused by trauma or surgery, such as mesenteric hematoma, splenectomy, right hemicolectomy, etc. About 1/4 of the patients have no obvious predisposing factors and are called primary mesenteric venous thrombosis.