Rex Shunt for Portal Vein Thrombosis After Pediatric Living Donor Liver Transplantation

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after pediatric liver transplantation (LT) is a common but grave complication which could eventually result in life-threatening portal hypertension. A “Rex” shunt between the superior mesenteric vein and the Rex recess of the liver has been reported to be a treatment option for extrahepatic portal vein obstruction; however, its application to living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is limited due to the availability of appropriate vein grafts. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of Rex shunt as an option for the treatment of PVT after pediatric LDLT. CASE REPORT: Three children underwent the Rex shunt for early (n=2) and late (n=1) PVT after LDLT using the greater saphenous vein (n=2) and the external iliac vein (n=1) from the parents who previously donated their livers. Two of the 3 children are free from symptoms with patent shunt grafts at 14 years after the procedures. One child died at 30 days after LDLT due to repeated episodes of PVT, which finally led to hepatic infarction. CONCLUSIONS: The Rex shunt is feasible to treat PVT after LDLT. However, additional surgical insults to the living donor need further discussion.