Portacaval shunting

Alternative Names: Shunt - portacaval

Portacaval shunting is a surgical treatment to create new connections between two blood vessels in your liver if you have very bad liver problems.

Description of Procedure

Portacaval shunting is a major surgical procedure. The procedure requires a large cut in the belly area (abdomen). The surgeon then tries to make a connection between the portal vein (which supplies most of the liver's blood), and the inferior vena cava (the vein that drains blood from most of the lower part of the body).

The new connection helps divert blood flow around the liver. This reduces blood pressure in the area and decreases the risk of liver vein rupture and bleeding.

Risks of Portacaval shunting

Risks for any anesthesia are:

• Problems breathing
• Reactions to medications

Risks for any surgery are:

• Bleeding
• Heart attack or stroke
• Infection

Complications from this procedure include:

• Bleeding
• Liver failure
• Worsening of hepatic encephalopathy (a disorder that affects concentration, mental status, and memory; may lead to coma)

Heart, section through the middle

Review Date: 9/10/2010
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji, MD, PhD, Specializing in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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