Reconsideration of liver transplantation for portal hypertension due to hepatitis B cirrhosis: a single center experience.

Abstract

Some patients with portal hypertension due to hepatitis B cirrhosis who were suitable for periesophagogastric devascularization with splenectomy (PDS) also met the indications of liver transplantation (LT), the study compared the effect of PDS and LT, and of PDS followed by LT when required. Patients with portal hypertension due to hepatitis B cirrhosis were analyzed. Patients were organized into PDS or LT groups, and PDS followed by LT. The PDS group suffered from lower incidence of severe postoperative complications (p=0.007) and perioperative death (p=0.015) than group LT. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of the PDS and LT groups were 99.3%, 98.1% and 89.0%, and 91.1%, 85.4% and 79.0%, respectively (p=0.04). There were no significant differences in severe postoperative complications (p=1.000) or perioperative mortality (p=1.000) between the PDS followed by LT and the LT groups, and their 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 91.2%, 82.1% and 82.1%, and 91.1%, 85.4% and 79.0%, respectively (p=0.694). For patients with portal hypertension due to hepatitis B cirrhosis, when they satisfy the indications for both PDS and LT, we appeal to perform PDS as bridging therapy for final liver transplantation.