Therapeutic strategies in symptomatic portal biliopathy

Chronic portal obstruction can lead to formation of portal cavernoma (PC). Half of all patients with PC will develop cholestasis, termed portal biliopathy, and some will progress to symptomatic biliary obstruction. Because of the high hemorrhage risk associated with biliary surgery in patients with PC, the optimal therapeutic strategy is controversial.

Retrospective review of a single hepatobiliary center experience, including 64 patients with PC identified 19 patients with concurrent symptomatic biliary obstruction. Ten patients underwent initial treatment with a retroperitoneal splenorenal anastomosis. For the remaining 9 patients, portal biliopathy was managed without portosystemic shunting (PSS). Outcomes, including symptom relief, the number of biliary interventions, and survivals, were studied in these 2 groups.

Within 3 months of PSS, 7 of 10 patients (70%) experienced a reduction in biliary obstructive symptoms. Five of these 10 patients subsequently underwent uncomplicated biliary bypass, and none has recurred with biliary symptoms or required biliary intervention with a mean follow-up of 8.2 years. For patients without PSS, repeated percutaneous and endobiliary procedures were required to relieve biliary symptoms. Four of the 9 patients with persistent PC required surgical intrahepatic biliary bypass, which was technically more challenging. With a mean follow-up of 8 years, 1 of these 9 patients died of severe cholangitis, 1 remained jaundiced, and 7 were asymptomatic.

This study, which represents the largest published experience with the surgical treatment of patients with symptomatic portal biliopathy, indicates that retroperitoneal splenorenal anastomosis improves outcomes and should be the initial treatment of choice.