Hepatic venography in portal hypertension by balloon catheter

The hepatic venography and wedged hepatic venous pressure measurement were performed in 35 patients with portal hypertension using a balloon catheter, and the results were compared with those obtained by the conventional method. It was revealed that the balloon catheter visualized a broader area of the liver and showed more accurate wedged hepatic venous pressure than the conventional catheter, thereby demonstrating that this is an excellent diagnostic tool for patients with portal hypertension.