Arterialization of the portal vein in cirrhosis: the findings at celiac arteriography.

An angiographic study of a new operation for portal hypertension involving arterialization of the portal vein in combination with an end-to-side portacaval shunt is described. The angiographic appearances differ from those of end-to-side shunts alone. With the new operation there is, in particular, no significant change in the wedge pressure or in the hepatic artery size from preoperative to postoperative studies, and in the majority of patients, the liver size is also unchanged. The incidence of porto-systemic shunting from the portal vein to the low pressure caval system (66%) is lower than for end-to-side shunts alone. Changes are seen in the distal portal bed in the majority of cases.