title: Incidence of portal vein thrombosis after laparoscopic splenectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic splenectomy has become an important therapeutic option in the management of diverse hematologic disorders. However, the incidence of important complications, such as portal vein thrombosis, remains poorly understood. We set out to study the incidence of this complication over a 14-month period.
  
  
  METHODS
  All adult patients who underwent laparoscopic splenectomy between July 2001 and April 2002 at McMaster University Medical Centre in Hamilton, Ont., were approached postoperatively and offered duplex ultrasonography of the portal vein to look for thrombosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period 17 patients underwent laparoscopic splenectomy. Two patients declined to participate, and in 1 patient the ultrasonography was technically inadequate. Of the 14 remaining patients, 2 (14%) were found to have portal vein thrombosis. In 1 other patient, the investigation was suggestive, but not conclusive, of a clot in the portal system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Portal vein thrombosis in this series was a relatively common complication of laparoscopic splenectomy. Further research is needed to confirm our findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. drwharris@hotmail.com
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcaccio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000601:surgery; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex