Intraoperative ultrasonography for detecting the renal vein during a distal splenorenal shunt procedure.

We have used intraoperative ultrasonography to find the left renal vein when performing distal splenorenal shunt procedures in six consecutive patients. Immediate discovery and exposure of the renal vein was possible in all cases. This method prevents unnecessary tissue injury, thus preventing troublesome hemorrhage and lymphorrhea from the retroperitoneum.