Liver Transplant With Double Portal Anastomose: A Case Report

Reno-portal reconstruction is a surgical alternative to achieve enough portal flow in liver transplant when there is a complete portal thrombosis, provided there are collaterals or portosystemic shunt, with or without spleno-renal shunt.

We present the case of a 58-year-old man with enolic cirrhosis and a history of gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to esophageal varices and portal thrombosis. The clinical case was discussed in the Transplant Committee, and the patient was included in the surgical waiting list with a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score of 17 and Child-Pugh score of A6. The preoperative computer tomography scan showed significant collateral circulation with esophageal varices, varices dependent on the inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) and hypoplasic portal vein. During the operation, a large shunt from the IMV to the iliac territory and type II portal thrombosis were observed, which was managed with eversion thrombectomy. A temporary portocaval shunt was performed, showing minimal flow in the portal vein, which did not improve after ligation of the systemic shunt. It was decided to perform a reno-portal anastomosis, after which the portal flow measurement was 600 cc per minute; because of this, it was decided to supplement portal flow with an end-to-side portoportal anastomosis, obtaining a flow of 1300 cc per minute with low resistance (R0.5).

The postoperative period was favorable, with good evolution of liver analytical parameters, with permeability of the porto-portal venous anastomoses, reno-portal, arterial, and suprahepatic anastomoses in the imaging tests.

If the portal flow is insufficient with a hypoplasic portal vein, a double anastomosis, portoportal, and reno-portal would be a technical resource.