[Proposal of an echotomographic method of guided portal catheterization]

To identify the frontal plane on which to find the right branch of the portal vein in 33 patients who underwent transhepatic percutaneous portography, we used a real-time ultrasonic scanner improved with an original device conceived for this specific need. The suggested method reduced the number of the ineffectual punctures of the liver, allowing in nearly all cases the cannulation of the right branch on the first attempts.