[Management of recurrent hemorrhage in portal hypertension]

123 cases of recurrent hemorrhage were studied. It was found that the rebleeding rate differed with different original operations. Those with unsatisfactory portal decompression or persistence of varices were prone to rebleeding. Rebleeding within one year occurred in 47.96%, and in late stage in 52.04%. Early postoperative rebleeding should be treated conservatively with intensive circulatory resuscitation. Repeated rebleeding occurred in 89% of the patients, reoperation should be carried out with definite indications. Emergency surgery was usually not recommended. On the operation, portal vein thrombosis was found in 58.8% of the patients, and dilatation of the superior mesenteric vein in 82.9%. Of the fifty six rebleeding cases treated surgically, 21.4% died of further bleeding in 5 years compared with 50.7% treated conservatively. Rebleeding occurred in 62.5% of disconnection cases and in 31.2% of shunt cases. The authors performed mesocaval side-to-side anastomosis in those with enlarged superior mesenteric vein, and restricted portocaval shunt in those without portal thrombosis. Rebleeding patients with regional portal hypertension were better treated with devascularization.