Drapanas shunt using a spiral saphenous vein graft.
An alternative technique for creation of a Drapanas shunt was used in a 12-year-old boy with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Dissatisfaction with available prosthetic grafts and the inherent limitations of other autogenous materials led to the use of a spiral saphenous vein graft to bridge the superior mesenteric vein and the inferior vena cava. Patency of the graft was demonstrated 1 year postoperatively, and the patient has not had further bleeding episodes for 2 years postoperatively. Continued use of this operation is necessary to determine its usefulness.
D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008642:Mesenteric Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D008722:Methods; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000601:surgery*