Use of meso-Rex shunt with transposition of the coronary vein for the management of extrahepatic portal vein obstruction

Abstract

The meso-Rex shunt is used to safely and effectively treat patients with portal hypertension due to extrahepatic portal vein obstruction. In the standard meso-Rex shunt technique, the patient's own internal jugular vein is used as a vascular autograft. Inevitably, such a procedure requires neck exploration and sacrifice of the internal jugular vein. Here, we present a case of a 20-year-old man with idiopathic extrahepatic portal vein obstruction, who was treated with a new technique of transposition of the coronary vein, which is enlarged in most cases of portal hypertension, as an alternative to the standard meso-Rex shunt technique. The transposition of the coronary vein into the Rex recessus is more efficient and less invasive than harvesting an autologous vein graft. Therefore, this technique simplifies the procedure and should be used when possible. Copyright © 2014, the Korean Surgical Society.