Internal jugular venous autograft in extrahepatic portal hypertension.

A 26 year old female with repeated episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, secondary to extensive extrahepatic portal and superior mesenteric venous obstruction, was surgically treated by interposing an internal jugular vein autograft between a collateral channel and the inferior vena cava. The follow-up observation during a seven and one-half year period has shown no recurrence of bleeding, disappearance of esophageal varices and a widely patent graft with normal portal vascular pressures. The internal jugular vein is a readily accessible autogenous graft of adequate caliber that can maintain patency under rigorous conditions. Its use is recommended in constructing portal-systemic venous shunts in those instances of extrahepatic portal hypertension in which conventional shunts cannot be established or, if they can be established, are liable to closure.