A Technical Tip for Creation of a Drapanas Mesocaval Shunt

Abstract

The goal of a portal shunt is portal decompression. Meso-caval shunts are advised for patients with portal vein thrombosis or when the possibility of future liver transplantation favours avoidance of a right upper quadrant shunt.1 Meso-caval shunt technique consists of division of the inferior vena cava (Clatworthy) and anastomosis side to end with the superior mesenteric vein. An alternative simplified technical approach to meso-caval shunt is the interposition shunt of Drapanas, in which a graft between the inferior vena cava and the superior mesenteric vein at the level of its first branches is accomplished.