Veno-occlusive disease of the liver complicating ABMT successfully treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA).

A 45-year-old man underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation for relapsed myeloma. The procedure was complicated by the development of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver. Thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) resulted in rapid resolution of hepatic encephalopathy and ascites with improvement in liver function. The use of rt-PA in the management of VOD appears effective and should be evaluated in further patients.