Unusual portal reconstructions after liver transplantation — Case report and review of literature

Abstract

Abstract Portal vein reconstruction might be a challenge in certain cases of liver transplantation. The problem usually arises due to small vessels in pediatric transplantation and/or living related donor and split liver transplantation, or as a result of extensive PVT in adult recipients. Authors report a case of a 60-year-old alcoholic cirrhotic patient with reverse portal flow. The standard end to end portal anastomosis did not work well, so a mesoportal shunt with a donor iliac vein conduit was performed first, followed by a cavoportal hemitransposition. After unsuccessful attempts of providing good portal flow, the donor umbilical vein and the iliac conduit was used for portal flow reconstruction as meso-Rex graft. The patient has been doing fine for eight months after her liver transplantation. Unusual types of portal reconstructions consist of meso-portal, umbilico-portal, renoportal anastomoses that are primarily used as rescue techniques. However, it is rare that one has to use them sequentially in the same patient.