An early experience of liver transplantation in portal vein thrombosis

Shelat VG, Diddapur RK
Correspondence: Dr Ravishankar K Diddapur, ravi_diddapur@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT
Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a recognised complication of end-stage liver disease. As PVT is a relative contraindication to liver transplantation, potential candidates are often rejected due to increased risk and complexity of the surgical procedure. Thromboendovenectomy is a commonly-used technique for this vexing problem. We report a surgeon's experience of dealing with PVT at the time of liver transplantation. Two patients with liver cirrhosis and PVT underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at the National University Hospital. The case notes of these two patients were retrospectively reviewed, along with a brief review of literature. Our early experience shows that with careful case selection and meticulous surgical technique, OLT can be safely done in patients with PVT without significant complications.

Keywords: end-stage liver disease, liver transplantation, portal vein thrombosis, thromboendovenectomy 
Singapore Med J 2008; 49(2):e37-41