Closure of Interposition Mesocaval Shunt in a Case of Idiopathic Portal Hypertension

Interposition mesocaval shunt for hemorrhagic esophageal varices was carried out in a patient with idiopathic portal hypertension without preoperative hepatic dysfunction. The esophageal varices were controlled, but the hemodynamics of the portal vein subsequently underwent gradual change and attacks of hepatic encephalopathy occurred frequently the following year. Therefore, the shunt was closed after about 2 yr. Hepatic encephalopathy disappeared after this surgery, but the varices obviously worsened on the 5th postoperative day and bled spontaneously on the 33rd postoperative day. A distal splenorenal shunt constructed 35 days after the operation resulted in the reduction, but not the complete disappearance, of esophageal varices. Episodes of hepatic encephalopathy or bleeding from the esophageal varices were not observed in the 24 months following the second shunt surgery.     

Double selective shunting for esophagogastric and rectal varices in portal hypertension due to congenital hepatic polycystic disease

A 55-year-old woman with ascites, pancytopenia by hypersplenism, recurrent hemorrhagic esophagogastric varices, and large rectal varices due to congenital hepatic polycystic disease underwent splenectomy and simultaneous double selective shunt; a left gastric venacaval direct shunt for esophagogastric varices and a sigmoid venous left ovarian vein shunt for rectal varices. Her preoperative Child-Pugh grade was A (score 6). Postoperative course was uneventful. Serum NH3 level decreased from 90 micrograms/dL to 36 micrograms/dL after shunt surgery. She was discharged on the 21st postoperative day. The remarkable improvement of both the esophagogastric varices and the rectal varices was demonstrated by postoperative fiberscope. We strongly consider sigmoid venous left ovarian shunting to be as selective as the Inokuchi shunt preventing encephalopathy and an effective surgical approach to anorectal varices.     

New trends in surgical treatment for portal hypertension

A number of surgical procedures have been developed to manage esophageal varices. Broadly, these can be classified as shunting and non-shunting procedures. While total shunt effectively reduces the incidence of variceal bleeding, it is associated with a high risk of hepatic encephalopathy. The distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS), a selective shunt, was developed by Warren in 1967 to preserve portal blood flow through the liver while lowering variceal pressure. The hope was that both bleeding and hyperammonemia would be prevented. The DSRS effectively prevents rebleeding, but still carries a risk of hyperammonemia. We improved the DSRS procedure by additionally performing splenopancreatic disconnection (SPD, i.e. skeletonization of the splenic vein from the pancreas to its bifurcation at the splenic hilum) and gastric transection (GT, i.e. transection and anastomosis of the upper stomach with an autosuture instrument). An alternative to shunting was developed by Sugiura and Futagawa in 1973. Esophageal transection (ET) divides and reanastomoses the distal esophagus and devascularizes the distal esophagus and proximal stomach; splenectomy, selective vagotomy, and pyloroplasty are performed concomitantly. DSRS was more effective than ET in preventing recurrence of esophageal varices, but was associated with a higher incidence of hyperammonemia. The incidence of hyperammonemia in patients who underwent DSRS with SPD plus GT was significantly lower than that in patients who underwent DSRS alone or those who underwent DSRS with SPD. In conclusion, there are various surgical treatments for esophagogastric varices. Distal splenorenal shunt with SPD plus GT is considered an adequate treatment for patients with esophagogastric varices.     

肝硬化患者肝功能失代偿状况与门脉管径的关系

目的:探讨肝硬化患者肝功能失代偿状况、食管静脉曲张程度与门脉主干内径及脾静脉内径的关系。方法:对100例肝硬化失代偿期患者进行肝功能Child-pugh分级,内镜检查判断食管静脉曲张程度,彩色多谱勒B超检测门静脉主干内径及脾静脉内径。结果:肝功能分级越差,门静脉与脾静脉的内径越大(P<0.05),且随着门静脉及脾静脉内径增大,食管静脉曲张程度亦加重(P<0.05)。结论:门静脉及脾静脉内径能间接体现门静脉高压的程度,继而反映肝功能失代偿状况。     

Antral Varices

Varices of the gastric fundus, often associated with esophageal varices, are a common complication of portal hypertension or splenic vein occlusion. However, varices of the gastric antrum have been reported rarely. We describe a 61-yr-old man with antral and esophageal varices caused by portal hypertension due to hepatic cirrhosis.     

Portal vein thrombosis following sclerotherapy.

We present the case of a woman with idiopathic portal hypertension who underwent sclerotherapy for bleeding esophageal varices. She had a rebleed 27 months after complete eradication of esophageal varices. Endoscopy showed bleeding gastric varices. Ultrasonography, and later splenoportography, revealed a large thrombus in the right branch of the portal vein causing gross dilation of the portal and splenic vein. A proximal splenorenal shunt was done to decompress the portal system and hence gastric varices. Repeat endoscopy 4 weeks after surgery revealed complete disappearance of the gastric varices, while ultrasonography at 38 weeks showed marked decompression of the portal system with complete disappearance of the thrombus from the right branch of the portal vein. No new thrombus formation was seen.     

Splenic artery ligature associated with endoscopic banding for schistosomal portal hypertension

AIM:To propose a less invasive surgical treatment for schistosomal portal hypertension.METHODS:Ten consecutive patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and portal hypertension with a history of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage from esophageal varices rupture were evaluated in this study.Patients were subjected to a small supraumbilical laparotomy with the ligature of the splenic artery and left gastric vein.During the procedure,direct portal vein pressure before and after the ligatures was measured.Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed at the 30th postoperative day,when esophageal varices diameter were measured and band ligature performed.During follow-up,other endoscopic procedures were performed according to endoscopy findings.RESULTS:There was no intra-operative mortality and all patients had confirmed histologic diagnoses ofschistosomal portal hypertension.During the immediate postoperative period,two of the ten patients had complications,one characterized by a splenic infarction,and the other by an incision hematoma.Mean hospitalization time was 4.1 d(range:2-7 d).Pre-and post-operative liver function tests did not show any significant changes.During endoscopy thirty days after surgery,a decrease in variceal diameters was observed in seven patients.During the follow-up period(57-72mo),endoscopic therapy was performed and seven patients had their varices eradicated.Considering the late postoperative evaluation,nine patients had a decrease in variceal diameters.A mean of 3.9 endoscopic banding sessions were performed per patient.Two patients presented bleeding recurrence at the late postoperative period,which was controlled with endoscopic banding in one patient due to variceal rupture and presented as secondary to congestive gastropathy in the other patient.Both bleeding episodes were of minor degree with no hemodynamic consequences or need for blood transfusion.CONCLUSION:Ligature of the splenic artery and left gastric vein with supraumbilical laparotomy is a promising and less invasive method for treating presinusoidal schistosomiasis portal hypertension.     

Correlation of Doppler ultrasound of the portal system with endoscopic changes caused by portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND: The portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients is the main cause of this illness complication, that are clinically translated to visible collateral circulation in the abdominal wall, ascites and esophageal varices. AIM: To evaluate if the portal system echodoppler is able to estimate the presence of esophageal varices, gastric varices and congestive gastropathy in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty six patients of the gastroenterology and hepatology ambulatory of the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil, had been selected for evaluation. Of those, 145 had completed all the stages of the evaluation and 133 had been enclosed in the final analysis. All had been submitted to high digestive endoscopy for evaluation of esophagogastric varices and congestive gastropathy and then to Doppler ultrasound of the portal system with study of the systolic peak speed of the portal vein, diameter of the portal and splenic vein and spleen size, presence of the umbilical vein recanalization and hepatofugal flow. RESULTS: The patients with esophagogastric varices had significant difference of the spleen size when compared to patients without these change. However, none of the Doppler ultrasound parameters showed good accuracy and specificity in this group of cirrhotic patients. Congestive gastropathy patients had their diagnosis predict with significant manner not only by the portal and splenic vein diameter but also by the spleen size. Similarly to that described above, they do not have a good accuracy and specificity. These evaluations were validated by the construction of ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curves, whose areas below the curves had always been less than 0,8. CONCLUSION: There was not a good correlation of the Doppler ultrasound parameters of the portal system to the presence of the main endoscopic alterations (esophagogastric varices and congestive gastropathy) in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.     

Splenogastrorenal shunt in portal hypertension: a little known entity. Study of 6 cases and review of the literature

The authors report 6 cases of portal hypertension with gastrorenal shunt. This shunt did not arise from the left gastric vein, but from the splenic vein. Portal hypertension was related to alcoholic cirrhosis in 3 cases, to extensive portal thrombosis in 2 cases, and to nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver in one case. A gastrointestinal hemorrhage revealed portal hypertension and the liver disease in the 3 cases of alcoholic cirrhosis and complicated the course of the disease in the other cases. Hemorrhage was either massive and life-threatening or often recurred. It was related to a rupture of fundic varices in all cases. The fundic varices were not associated with esophageal varices in the 3 cases of cirrhosis. The degree of portal hypertension was above 20 mm Hg, as assessed by the portohepatic gradient (one case), or the pressure gradient between a tributary portal system vein and the inferior vena cava during laparotomy (5 cases). Definitive control of hemorrhage could not be achieved by endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy (2 cases) or percutaneous transhepatic embolization (one case). Portacaval shunt or splenectomy was performed in 5 cases. These findings suggest that spontaneous splenogastrorenal shunt is a clinical and hemodynamic entity which requires specific treatment when associated with gastric variceal bleeding.     

门-体分流程度评估血吸虫病肝硬化上消化道出血的应用

目的探讨门-体静脉分流程度在评估血吸虫病肝硬化上消化道出血中的应用。方法以金山医院经临床证实的33例血吸虫病肝硬化上消化道出血患者,及29例血吸虫病肝硬化非出血患者为研究对象,对其进行上腹部128层螺旋CT扫描。采用薄层块最大强度投影(TSMIP)、多平面重建(MPR)对门静脉系进行血管重建,对两组患者门-体静脉分流程度进行评分和比较,分析各侧支血管分流程度与血吸虫病肝硬化上消化道出血的关系。结果 33例上消化道出血患者中,侧支血管发生率如下:胃左静脉曲张86.4%、胃短静脉曲张68.2%、食管静脉曲张50.0%、食管旁静脉曲张50.0%、胃底静脉曲张37.9%、胃肾静脉69.7%、脾肾静脉51.5%、腹壁静脉曲张25.8%、网膜静脉曲张15.2%、脾周静脉曲张63.6%、附脐静脉曲张34.8%、腹膜后-椎旁静脉40.9%、肠系膜静脉曲张36.4%。出血组食管静脉、食管旁静脉、胃左静脉和胃底静脉的发生率和分流程度均明显大于非出血组(P值均0.05)。结论 CT门静脉系成像可精确显示各类侧支血管的部位、程度及走向。食管静脉、食管旁静脉、胃左静脉和胃底静脉能较准确地预测血吸虫病肝硬化上消化道出血的风险情况,上述侧支血管分流程度越高,上消化道出血危险性就越大。     

Intra-operative evaluation of portal pressure and immediate results of surgical treatment of portal hypertension in schistosomotic patients submitted to esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy

BACKGROUND: The main cause of portal hypertension in Brazil is the hepato-splenic form of mansonic schistosomiasis and the most employed technique for the surgical approach of this disease is the esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy, generally associated to postoperative endoscopical esophageal varices sclerotherapy. The hemodynamic alterations after surgical treatment and its possible influence on the outcome are not well established. AIM: To evaluate the immediate impact of esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy upon portal pressure as well as the results of the surgical treatment on digestive hemorrhage recurrence and on esophageal varices. METHODS: Nineteen patients with mean age of 37.9 years and portal hypertension and previous episodes of digestive hemorrhage caused by esophageal varices rupture due to hepato-splenic schistosomiasis were studied. None of the patients had received any treatment prior to the surgery and underwent to elective esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy. Portal pressure was assessed at the beginning and at the end of esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy through portal vein catheterization with a polyethylene catheter introduced through a jejunal branch vein. All patients were submitted to digestive endoscopy before and after the surgery, in order to classify the size of esophageal varices after esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy according to Palmer's classification. RESULTS: In all patients the portal pressure had diminished with a mean decrease of 31.3% after esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy. In the postoperative endoscopic follow-up (1 month), the esophageal varices showed a statistically significant reduction in their size, when compared to the pre-surgical measurements. CONCLUSION: These results have demonstrated that the esophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy promotes immediate decrease in the portal pressure and a consequent reduction in the esophageal varices size. We also observed that the risk of mortality and severe complications related to this technique is not insignificant.     

Splenic artery embolization for variceal hemorrhage following blocked distal splenorenal shunt

A blocked distal splenorenal shunt presents with torrential bleeding from gastric varices. Reoperation in the presence of portal hypertension in an unstable patient is difficult. Two patients with a blocked distal splenorenal shunt were subjected to splenic artery embolization. This stopped variceal bleeding from gastric varices resulting from the congested spleen due to thrombosis of the splenic vein. The procedure was successful in stopping the acute bleed in both patients. There were no serious complications or recurrent variceal bleeding and the varices were collapsed at one year on follow-up endoscopy. Splenic artery embolization is a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment for patients with bleeding from a blocked distal splenorenal shunt.     

Pancreatic endocrine carcinoma presenting with gastric varices derived by left-sided portal hypertension: a case report

We herein report a 71-year-old man with pancreatic carcinoma presenting as gastric varices caused by an obstruction of the splenic vein compressed by the tumor, which also invaded the spleen, stomach, transverse colon, left kidney, and left adrenal gland. A complete resection of distal pancreatomy and lymph node dissection with splenenctomy, left adrenalectomy, left nephrectomy, and partial resection of transverse colon and stomach were performed. After the resection, the gastric varices completely disappeared without any interventional therapy. The gastric varices observed in this case were considered to be derived from left-sided portal hypertension secondary to splenic vein occlusion, which is an uncommon complication mostly associated with pancreatitis and pancreatic carcinoma. Now that 17 months have passed after his operation, the patient is alive and in satisfactory condition without any signs of recurrence.     

肝硬化门静脉高压外科治疗的现状及进展

肝硬化可以导致门静脉压力病理性持续升高,出现食管胃底静脉曲张、腹水、肝性脑病以及继发循环功能障碍等多种并发症。门静脉高压症以综合治疗为主,其中外科治疗主要是控制并预防食管胃底静脉曲张破裂大出血。介入治疗和肝移植已逐渐成为手术干预的一种常规手段,能够显著提高患者生活质量,但断流术和分流术仍是目前的主流术式。肝硬化门静脉高压的每一种手术策略都有其自身的特点,综合评估患者一般情况及病情特点,采用个性化治疗方案以达到最佳疗效将是未来的趋势。     

Two cases of esophageal cancer with portal hypertension: esophagectomy with venous shunt procedure

We performed venous shunt procedure in the reconstruction of the esophagus after esophagectomy using the gastric tube in two cases of esophageal cancer with portal hypertension due to liver cirrhosis. In both cases, the short-term postoperative course was uneventful, without congestion in the gastric tube. In Case 1 where the short gastric vein had been used as the shunt vein, the long-term postoperative course was also uneventful, without hepatic encephalopathy or hemorrhage from deterioration of the varices of the gastric tube. However, in Case 2 where the left gastroepiploic vein had been used, hepatic encephalopathy developed due to excessive shunt flow. These results suggested that appropriate shunt flow could be expected by using short gastric vein.     

Clinical Utility of Pulsed Doppler Flowmetry in Patients with Portal Hypertension

The recently developed Doppler flowmetry system that consists of an electronic sector and a pulsed Doppler flowmeter, is capable of determining the direction of blood flow in large veins visible by ultrasonography and measuring blood flow. It is noninvasive and can be performed in patients on ambulatory basis at the time of routine ultrasound examination. In this communication, clinical utility of pulsed Doppler flowmetry was tested in 20 patients with portal hypertension. Doppler flowmetry proved useful in differential diagnosis of splenorenal shunt and cystic disease, diagnosis of arterioportal shunt, diagnosis of portal vein occlusion, demonstration of hepatofugal flow in the splenic vein, and prediction of esophageal varices by the demonstration of hepatofugal flow in an enlarged left gastric vein.     

晚期血吸虫病门脉高压症术后门静脉血栓形成的危险因素分析

目的探讨晚期血吸虫病门脉高压症脾切除贲门周围血管离断术后门静脉血栓(PVT)形成的危险因素。方法收集2004年8月至2014年3月期间本院外科收治的211例晚期血吸虫病门静脉高压症患者的临床资料,对可能影响术后PVT形成的因素进行单因素分析和Logistic回归分析。结果 211例患者中,59例术后PVT形成,发生率为27.96%(59/211)。单因素分析显示术前上消化道出血史、门静脉直径、脾静脉直径、食管静脉曲张程度、腹水、门脉高压性胃病、胃底静脉曲张、血氨水平是患者术后PVT形成的影响因素。Logistic回归分析显示门静脉直径增宽(OR=1.763,P=0.000)和门脉高压性胃病(OR=1.089,P=0.037)是患者术后PVT形成的独立危险因素。结论晚期血吸虫病门脉高压症术后PVT形成的发生率较高,门静脉直径增宽和门脉高压性胃病是PVT形成的独立危险因素。     

Formation, hemodynamics and new management options for gastric varices

Abstract   Gastric varices develop in patients with portal hypertension, including liver cirrhosis, idiopathic portal hypertension as well as left sided-local portal hypertension such as splenic vein thrombosis or splenic AV malformation. The inflow vein is the left gastric vein, posterior vein, or short gastric vein, while the outflow vein is the gastro-renal shunt in most of the patients with gastric varices. The form of the gastric varices is classified into three types of venous dilatation; tortuous type, notched type and tumor type according to the shape and size of the varices. The location is classified into five sites; the posterior site, anterior site, greater curvature site and lesser curvature site of the cardiac area, and the fundic area. The risk of the rupture depends on the mucosal factor of the varices as well as the location and the form. The hemostasis rate has been improved to 94–97% with the usage of the endoscopic occlusive agent such as Histoacryl. It is absolutely necessary to eradicate the gastric varices within a few weeks after rupture of the gastric varices. There are new management options such as laparoscopic Hassab's operation or balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration of the varices (B-RTO). The 5-year cumulative rate of the non-variceal bleeding is more than 90% after the B-RTO as well as after surgery. Further prospective clinical trials are to be investigated for an evidence-based medicine.     

Combination treatment of partial splenic embolization, endoscopic embolization and transjugular retrograde obliteration for complicated gastroesophageal varices

The treatment of complicated gastroesophageal varices with a gastrorenal shunt and portal hypertensive gastropathy has not yet been established. We were able to control a case of complicated large gastroesophageal varices with gastrorenal shunt and portal hypertensive gastropathy using a combination treatment of partial splenic embolization, endoscopic embolization and transjugular retrograde obliteration. We first applied partial splenic embolization to reduce the hyperdynamic cycle of portal hypertension and to treat thrombocytopenia. We secondarily applied endoscopic embolization for the esophageal varices. Transjugular retrograde obliteration was performed for the gastric varices 14 days after endoscopic embolization. The wedged hepatic venous pressure had not changed after transjugular retrograde obliteration. After the combination treatment, the gastroesophageal varices were successfully obliterated, but portal hypertensive gastropathy did not worsen. The platelets count, arterial ketone body ratio and ICGR15 were improved. Partial splenic embolization was useful to protect side effects of endoscopic embolization and transjugular retrograde obliteration. We conclude that the combination treatment of partial splenic embolization, endoscopic embolization and transjugular retrograde obliteration is a rational, effective and safe treatment for complicated gastroesophageal varices with gastrorenal shunt and portal hypertensive gastropathy.     

肝硬化门静脉高压患者胃镜与B超表现相关性研究

目的 通过对肝炎肝硬化门静脉高压患者胃镜、B超检测结果行相关性分析，为临床判断肝硬化程度、早期预防并发症提供参考。方法 选择肝炎肝硬化门静脉高压患者192例，根据食管静脉曲张程度分为轻、中、重度3组。比较胃底静脉曲张在各组中发生比例，并测量门静脉主干宽度、脾静脉宽度、脾脏厚度，研究其与食管静脉曲张程度相关性。结果 3组患者胃底静脉曲张发生比例存在显著差异，食管静脉曲张程度越重，伴胃底静脉曲张比例越高；随食管静脉曲张程度不同，门静脉主干内径、脾静脉内径及脾脏厚度之间存在差异，脾脏厚度与脾静脉内径之间存在直线相关关系。结论 门静脉主干内径、脾静脉内径、脾脏厚度可为判断门静脉高压提供参考，综合上述3点并结合胃镜检查结果可较准确判断有无食管静脉曲张及程度。