After I-GBC discovery following an LC, T3 tumours and tumours with LN+ are characterised by poor prognosis. The presence and the identification of these prognostic factors help identify patients in need of alternative perioperative treatments.
Background
During piggyback liver transplantation (LT), a temporary end‐to‐side portocaval anastomosis (PCA) facilitates native total hepatectomy while maintaining hemodynamic stability. Some argue that PCA, performed on the main portal trunk (PT), might shorten the main portal vein and could cause technical difficulties during LT. We describe a temporary PCA performed on the right portal vein (R‐PCA).
Methods
The technique entails complete dissection of the main portal trunk up its right and left branches. After having ligated the left portal vein, the right is anastomosed end‐to‐side to the anterior face of the inferior vena cava. Taken down of R‐PCA, before graft‐recipient portal vein anastomosis, is achieved by stapling or suturing.
Results
An R‐PCA has been performed in 14 over 15 planned procedures at our unit. In one case, because of intraoperative difficulties the PCA was performed on the PT.
Conclusions
A temporary R‐PCA represents a feasible alternative method of portal decompression during LT. Its use can be implemented into the technical armamentarium of transplant surgeons.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.