Risk factors and clinical characteristics of portal vein thrombosis after splenectomy in patients with liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a potential lethal complication and may have negative influence on the prognosis after splenectomy in patients with liver cirrhosis. Prevention and timely detection of PVT are quite significant. There is a lack of knowledge about the clinical features and risk factors of PVT. Our study aimed to investigate the risk factors and clinical characteristics of PVT in order to figure out the high-risk individuals. METHODS: We collected the clinical data of 472 consecutive patients with non-neoplastic liver cirrhosis who had undergone splenectomy from January 2008 to December 2010 in our institution. Clinical and surgical characteristics of patients who developed PVT postoperatively and those who did not develop PVT were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses of risk factors of PVT were performed. The mortality and rebleeding rate of the patients were also evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 472 patients, 52 were excluded from the study. PVT developed in 71 (71/420, 16.9%) patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that wider preoperative portal vein diameter, postoperative thrombocytosis, prolonged prothrombin time and periesophagogastric devascularization were significantly correlated with PVT development [odds ratio (OR): 5.701, 2.807, 1.850 and 2.090, respectively]. The incidence of PVT in patients who took antiplatelet drugs was not lower than that in those who did not. Follow-up showed that patients in the PVT group had a tendency towards reduced overall survival but it was not statistically significant. Gastrointestinal bleeding occurred more often in the PVT group than that in the non-PVT group (P=0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Wider preoperative portal vein diameter, postoperative thrombocytosis, prolonged prothrombin time and periesophagogastric devascularization are independent risk factors of PVT. PVT is related with higher risk of postoperative gastrointestinal hemorrhage but has no significant impact on the overall survival.