Objective To explore the clinical presentation and diagnosis and treatment of prehepatic portal hypertension （PPH） and discuss its surgical strategies. Methods Forty-six cases of PPH treated in the 2nd Artillery General Hospital and Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2000 to May 2009 were analyzed retrospectively, including 2 cases of Abernethy abnormality. All patients were evaluated by indirect portal vein angiography, CT angiography and (or) portal duplex system Doppler ultrasonography before treament. Surgical strategies included: 23 cases with meso-caval shunt, 8 cases with splenectomy and spleno-renal vein shunt, 1 case with porta-caval shunt, 2 cases with paraumbilical vein-jugular vein shunt, 3 cases with portal azygous disconnection, 1 cases with splenectomy and portal azygous disconnection, 1 case with sigmoidostomy and closed the fistula of sigmoid six months later, 1 case with resection of part of small intestine due to acute extensive thrombosis of portal vein system, 4 cases with selective superior mesenteric artery and (or) splenic artery thrombolytic infusion therapy, 2 cases remained no-surgical option and underwent conservative treatment. Results Forty-four patients were followed-up from 2 months to 5 years， average of 23.4 months, one patient without surgical treatment was lost. Satisfactory outcomes were obtained in 34 patients with various shunts, which expressed as a release of hypersplenism and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Two cases were treated with meso-caval shunt because of rehemorrhage in month 13 and 24 and one died in month 8 after disconnection, one died on day 40 after thrombolytic therapy due to putrescence of intestines, one who remained no-surgical option underwent hemorrhage 4 months later, and then went well by conservative treatment. Conclusion The key of treatment of PPH is to reduce the pressure of hepatic portal vein. Surgical managements of shunt and selective superior mesenteric artery and (or) splenic artery thrombolytic infusion therapy are safe and effective, but individual treatment strategy should be performed.
Surgerical treatment has been used for portal hypertension over a hundred years, and has evolved from various portosystemic shunts to devascularizations and selective shunts. Selective shunting, which has the advantages of long-term prevention from recurrent variceal bleeding and maintenance of hepatic portal vein perfusion, has developed from single distal splenorenal shunt to various procedures including distal splenocaval shunt, coronary caval shunt, coronary renal shunt, etc. Selective shunting can also be achieved after reconstruction of spontaneous portosystemic shunt. Preoperative portal venous system CT angiography, intraoperative ultrasound Doppler and portal vein pressure measurements may provide patients with a more reasonable treatment of choice.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical value of color Doppler ultrasound in diagnosing prehepatic portal hypertension. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed to analyze the results of color Doppler ultrasonography in 9 patients with prehepatic portal hypertension diagnosed between June 2012 and January 2015, including vessel diameter, shape, nature and direction of blood flow, and fistula blood flow spectrum. ResultsAmong the 9 patients, the color Doppler ultrasound found 3 patients with regional portal widened, increased and faster blood flow with the emergence of low-impedance spectrum artery, splenic vein widened with returning blocked and flocculent substance within the splenic vein lumen, irregular or streak-shaped low weak echo during splenic vein reduction, and unstable or weakened blood flow velocity. Two patients were confirmed with splenic vein thrombosis by ultrasound and other imaging methods with significantly reduced blood in splenic vein. For the other four patients with regional portal hypertension, obvious abnormalities in portal system were not detected by color Doppler ultrasound, but they were checked with other methods. The ultrasound positive diagnosis of the 9 patients was 5, with 4 missed. ConclusionThe color Doppler ultrasound has some values in screening, diagnosis and follow-up of prehepatic portal hypertension, but it can also be influenced by many factors with a high missed diagnosis rate. Carefully observing the portal system lumen structure, internal echo and blood flow combined with other imaging studies, and emphasizing clinical history of the patients can further improve diagnostic accuracy.
In the treatment of portal hypertension, association of both hassab operation and splenorenal shunt was performed selectively on six cases by authors from 1987 to 1994, and better results were obtatined in five patients. In this article, the experience and operative Techniques are introduced in detail, and he advantages of this procedure are evaluated.
Pancreatic sinistral portal hypertension (PSPH) is a clinical syndrome resulting from pancreatic disease that blocks splenic vein return, which includes acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic tumors, and iatrogenic factors related to pancreatic surgery. Most PSPH patients present with isolated gastric varices, splenomegaly and hypersplenism, with normal liver function, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by varices in the fundus of the stomach is the most serious clinical manifestation. The treatment of PSPH can be divided into the treatment of portal hypertension in the spleen and stomach region, including close follow-up, medication, endoscopic therapy, splenic artery embolization and splenectomy, etc. The primary diseases of pancreas are mainly treated for acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic tumor. In particular, PSPH related to pancreatic surgery should be concerned.
Objective To evaluate the effect of triplex operations (splenopneumopexy, portal azygous devascularization and ligation of splenic artery) for children with extrahepatic portal hypertension. Methods From March 1993 to November 1998, 7 children with extrahepatic portal hypertension underwent triplexoperations. The diagnosis for these patients were confirmed by gastroscopy, barium meal and Doppler ultrasonography. The number of WBCand platelet and the hepatic function were checked before and after operations.And the free portal pressures were checked before and after ligations of the splenic artery. All patients were followed up for 2 to 8 years (5.6 years on average). The episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding were recorded. The degrees of varices of distal esophagus and proximal stomach were assessed by barium mealand gastroscopy. The diameters of the splenic and portal veins were obtained byBultrasound. The portopulmonary shunt and portal blood flow were evaluated by color Doppler flow image. The indices of hemorheology such as hematocrit, viscosity of whole blood and plasma, and the index of deformability and aggregability of RBC were obtained through viscometer (R-20 Seerle, Beijing). Results There was no operative fatal case in this group. Postoperatively, hemorrhage from the esophagus and gastric varices was completely controlled. Although the diameter of spleen reduced progressively, no patient’s spleen recovered to normal size during the follow up period. The degree of varices was mitigated and the free portal pressure was significantly decreased to （34.48±5.71） cm H2 O from the preoperative one （42.62±6.72） cm H2 O (P＜0.05). The rate of portal flow was alsodecreased. The direction of portal vein was bidirection (one part was away from the liver and the other was toward the liver). The number of WBC and platelet and the viscosity of whole blood and hematocrit were increased to normal value after operation. Conclusion The triplex operation is an effective procedure for the control of hemorrhage from varices in children with extrahepatic portal hypertension.
ObjectiveTo analyze risk factors of intraoperative massive hemorrhage in patients with pancreatitis-induced sinistral portal hypertension (SPH) and to explore its strategies of treatment.MethodsThe clinical data of patients with pancreatitis-induced SPH admitted to the West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2015 to March 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The intraoperative massive hemorrhage was defined as the blood loss exceeding 30% blood volume. The factors closely associated with the intraoperative massive hemorrhage were analyzed by the forward logistic regression model.ResultsA total of 128 patients with pancreatitis-induced SPH were enrolled in this study, including 104 males and 24 females, with an average age of 47 years old and a median intraoperative bleeding volume of 482 mL. Among them, 93 patients with pancreatitis-induced SPH caused by the pancreatic pseudocyst after acute pancreatitis and 35 caused by the chronic pancreatitis. There were 36 patients with history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and 46 patients with hypersplenism. Thirty-six patients suffered from the massive hemorrhage. Among them, 30 patients underwent the distal pancreatectomy concomitant with splenectomy, 1 patient underwent the duodenum- preserving resection of pancreatic head, and 5 patients underwent the pseudocyst drainage. The univariate analysis showed that the occurrence of intraoperative massive hemorrhage in the patients with pancreatitis-induced SPH was not associated with the gender, age, body mass index, albumin level, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, hypersplenism, type of pancreatitis, course of pancreatitis, number of attacks of pancreatitis, size of spleen, maximum diameter of lesions in the splenic vein obstruction site, or number of operation (P>0.05), which was associated with the diameter of varicose vein more than 5.0 mm (χ2=19.83, P<0.01), the intraperitoneal varices regions (χ2=13.67, P<0.01), the location of splenic vein obstruction (χ2=5.17, P=0.03), the operation time (t=–3.10, P<0.01), or the splenectomy (χ2=17.46, P<0.01). Further the logistic regression analysis showed that the varicose vein diameter more than 5.0 mm (OR=6.356, P=0.002) and splenectomy (OR=4.297, P=0.005) were the independent risk factors for the intraoperative massive hemorrhage in the patients with pancreatitis-induced SPH.ConclusionsSplenectomy and having a collateral vein more than 5.0 mm in diameter are independent risk factors for intraoperative massive blood loss in surgeries taken on patients with pancreatitis-induced SPH. Attention should be paid to dilation of gastric varices and choice of splenectomy.
Portal vein blood flow is very important for the normal function of transplanted liver. The author reviewed the management methods of different portal vein thrombosis classification in the liver transplantation (LT). The prognosis of LT in the patients with Yerdel 1–3 thrombosis is similar to that the patients without thrombosis. The portal vein reconstruction of the patients with Yerdel 4 thrombosis can be realized by varicose vein to portal anastomosis, renoportal anastomosis or cavoportal hemitransposition. When anastomosis is made at the proximal side of a spontaneous shunt between the portal and cava system, the blood shunted from portal system can be reintroduced into the donor liver, which is crucial for the management of Yerdel 4 thrombosis. The establishments of artificial shunt by distal splenic vein, mesenteric vein or “multiple to one” anastomosis are effective attempts to drain the blood from portal system to the donor liver. For more severe diffuse thrombosis of portal vein system, multivisceral transplantation, including liver and small intestine, should be considered. The cases of LT in the patients with complex portal vein thrombosis are increasing, however the prognosis remains to be determined after accumulation of the cases.
ObjectiveTo analyze the platelet (PLT) count, coagulation function, and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in the patients underwent splenectomy due to different etiologies. MethodsThe patients who underwent splenectomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from January 2013 to December 2022 were collected. According to the etiology, the patients were assigned into the occupying group (splenic and pancreatic occupying lesions), hypersplenism group (portal hypertension and hypersplenism), and splenic rupture group (traumatic splenic rupture). The changes of PLT, white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), neutrophils (Neut), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fib), D-dimer (DD), and PVT were observed after splenectomy. ResultsA total of 166 patients were collected, including 42 in the occupying group, 22 in the hypersplenism group, and 102 in the splenic rupture group. There were no statistically significant differences in the age and preoperative Child-Pugh score among the patients of the three groups (P>0.05). There were 12 (7.2%) patients with PVT, including 2 in the occupying group, 6 in the hypersplenismn group, and 4 in the splenic rupture group. The PVT incidence among the three groups had a statistical significant difference (Fisher exact test, P=0.003), which in the hypersplenismn group was higher than the occupying group (P=0.016) and the splenic rupture group (P=0.002), while there was no statistically significant difference between the occupying group and the splenic rupture group (P=1.000). The overall trend was that the PLT, RBC, WBC, and various coagulation function indicators such as PT, APTT, and Fib among the three groups all showed an upward trend immediately after splenectomy, but the postoperative peak time and change trends had no markedly regular among the three groups. The PLT of the patients with and without PVT changed over time during the observation period (patients without PVT: F=60.238, P<0.001; patients with PVT group: F=9.700, P=0.043), and which showed a continuous upward trend after surgery, reaching a peak on the 14th day and then beginning to decline in the patients of both 2 groups. However, there was no statistically significant intergroup effect between the 2 groups (F=0.056, P=0.816). ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that the peak value of PLT in the hypersplenism group is lower as compared with the occupying group and the splenic rupture group, and the PVT is more likely to occur. However, no difference of the PLT level is found in the patients without and with PVT.
Objective To explore treatment strategy of pancreatic pseudocyst induced left-sided portal hypertension (LSPH) complicated with hypersplenism. Methods The clinical data of 49 cases of pancreatic pseudocyst induced LSPH complicated with hypersplenism from January 2010 to June 2015 in this hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 36 patients who were not complicated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were designed to splenectomy group and non-splenectomy group based on splenectomy or not. The epidemiological and clinical features, intraoperative and postoperative results of these two groups were compared. Results There were 38 males and 11 females with age ranging from 22 to 67 years old. As for 13 patients suffering LSPH complicated with hypersplenism caused by pancreatic pseudocyst with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, one patient didn’t accept splenectomy, then the upper gastrointestinal bleeding recurred and the hypersplenism was not alleviated after operation; Whereas, the hypersplenisms were relieved in the others patients after operation. In the 36 patients without upper gastrointestinal bleeding who were complicated with hypersplenism, 23 patients were performed splenectomy (splenectomy group) and 13 patients were not (non-splenectomy group). In the splenectomy group, the blood loss, operation time, and intraoperative blood transfusion were significantly more than those of the non-splenectomy group (P<0.05). The hospital stay and the discharged laboratory examinations had no significant differences between the splenectomy group and the non-splenectomy group (P>0.05) except for the platelet count. Furthermore, the incidence of the postoperative upper gastrointestinal bleeding was lower (P<0.05) and the relief rate of hypersplenism was higher (P<0.05) in the splenectomy group as compared with the non-splenectomy group. Conclusions For pancreatic pseudocyst induced LSPH with hypersplenism, we should be vigilant and early intervent. Usually, primary focus can be treated only. However, splenectomy can effectively relieve hypersplenism and prevent recurrent bleeding for patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding or patients with close adhesion of pancreas tail and spleen inflammatory lesions and constricting splenic hilus.