Clinical effect of color Doppler imaging in monitoring patients with extensive portal vein thrombosis during liver transplantation: an analysis of 4 cases

Objective To assess the effect of color Doppler imaging(CDI) in mornitoring patients with extensive portal vein thrombosis in the perioperative period of liver transplantation.Methods The sequoia 512 color Doppler were used in 4 cases of patients with extensive portal vein thrombosis before and after liver transplantation.2.5-5.0 MHz ultrasound probe were used to monitor the maximum diameter of portal vein,average blood flow velocity,maximum velocity,flow spectrum and collateral circulation.Results Before liver transplantation,the anomalies of portal vein through CDI were observed in 4 patients,such as slow or no blood flow in portal vein,severe segmental stenosis,completely blocked and severe intimal lesions of portal vein.The multiple branches of collateral circulation,expansion of the superior mesenteric vein and unsuitable condition for reconstruction of portal vein were also found.These findings of CDI were confirmed at surgery,which could help us in reconstruction of blood perfusion to donor liver.Postoperative monitoring of CDI was adopted once at an interval day for two weeks.The diameter of reconstructed portal vein,the velocity and direction of blood flow in the portal vein were found as normal.Conclusion CDI has effective in monitoring complications of portal vein thrombosis after liver transplantation,which could not only help the preoperative design but also guide the operation during liver transplantation.