Consecutive patients with LC and hypersplenism. Detailed indications were as follows: a bleeding tendency (), induction of interferon therapy (), difficulties in therapies for HCC due to thrombocytopenia (), and esophagogastric varices ().
January 2005–December 2005 (1st period); January 2006–July 2006 (2nd period)
2-period, prospective cohort study
Consecutive patients with LC and hypersplenism. Detailed indications were as follows: bleeding tendency due to thrombocytopenia (), difficulties in the induction or continuation of pegylated interferon therapy plus ribavirin due to thrombocytopenia (), difficulties with therapies for HCC due to thrombocytopenia (), and endoscopic treatment-resistant esophagogastric varices ().
Patients with PH, splenomegaly, and hypersplenism. Detailed indications were as follows: hypersplenism and recurrent upper GI bleeding (236 patients had a history of upper GI bleeding).
Splenectomy with gastroesophageal devascularization
HBV-related LC patients with PH, upper GI bleeding, splenomegaly, and hypersplenism.
Splenectomy with porta-azygous devascularization
71
Notes: *35 participants were enrolled in this RCT. But 6 participants were excluded, because 4 withdrew from the study, 1 required conversion to an open approach, and 1 died at 3 postoperative months from myocardial infarction that was unrelated to the procedure or study medication. Abbreviations: EVL: endoscopic variceal ligation; GI: gastrointestinal; HBV: hepatitis B virus; LC: liver cirrhosis; PH: portal hypertension; and RCT: randomized controlled trial.