Portal vein thrombosis before liver transplant does not alter postoperative patient or graft survival

Portal vein thrombosis may complicate liver transplant. The purpose of this study was to analyze our cohort of transplanted recipients to evaluate the relation between preoperative portal vein thrombosis and patient and graft survival after liver transplant.

We retrospectively analyzed 209 patients who had liver transplant; 2 patients who had the diagnosis of portal vein thrombosis made during surgery were excluded. Patients were stratified in 2 groups according to whether they had (15 patients) or did not have portal vein thrombosis (192 patients) before liver transplant and were compared for early and late survival.

In all 15 patients who had portal vein thrombosis, the Yerdel grade was I or II. Patients who had preoperative portal vein thrombosis had lower median survival (portal vein thrombosis, 47 mo; no portal vein thrombosis, 61 mo), frequency of total number of deaths (portal vein thrombosis, 4 [27%]; no portal vein thrombosis, 68 [35%]), and frequency of death within 3 months after transplant (portal vein thrombosis, 1 [7%]; no portal vein thrombosis, 23 [12%]). However, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in patient or graft survival.

Low-grade portal vein thrombosis detected before liver transplant is not an absolute contraindication for liver transplant. Radiographic screening before liver transplant is recommended to minimize surgical difficulty.