Reconstruction of portal vein using a hepatic vein patch graft after combined hepatectomy and portal vein resection.
BACKGROUND
Surgical resection is the only treatment modality that ensures complete tumor removal in patients with liver tumors involving a major portal vein branch or its bifurcation. Restoration of good portal blood flow is essential for recovery in the early postoperative period and for long-term survival. However, such extended resections often result in large defects at the bifurcation of the portal vein that are not amenable to suturing or end-to-end anastomosis.


METHODS
A patch graft technique is very useful for reconstruction of long and elongated defects when other methods are not technically appropriate. We describe a simple technique for reconstructing the portal vein using a patch graft obtained from the hepatic vein stump of the resected specimen.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique permits surgeons to reconstruct the portal vein without any need for harvesting another vein and with no need for an additional incision.
Prakash
Kurumboor
K
Department of Hepatopancreatic and Biliary Surgery, Beaujon Hospital, 100 boulevard du Général Leclerc, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, University Paris VII, 92118 Clichy, France.
Regimbeau
Jean-Marc
JM
Belghiti
Jacques
J
D006498:Hepatectomy; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods