[Intraoperative coronary venography for portal hemodynamic observation in the procedure of combined portozygos disconnection].

Since 1986, intraoperative coronary venography was performed on 24 patients before and after undergoing portoazygos disconnection for portal hypertension. Before the disconnection the portal vein was found to be communicated with cardial and esophageal veins by two pathways, i.e. from the esophageal branches of the coronary vein to the esophageal varices, and from the gastric branches of the coronary vein to the esophageal varices by way of the gastric intramural venula. The portal blood flow was postulated to be hepatofugal because the portal trunk could not be seen on the venography. Coronary venography done after the disconnection found no pericardial and esophageal varices but the portal vein with hepatoportal blood flow. The authors come to the conclusion that the operation has the advantage of both complete disconnection between the portal vein and the cardio-esophageal varices, thus preventing the varices bleeding, and increasing hepatic blood flow.