To investigate the influencing factors for the incidence of postoperative complications after pericardical devascularization and evaluate its effect upon the long-term survival of the patients.

Clinical data of 268 patients with portal hypertension who underwent pericardical devascularization in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine between September 2009 and September 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. Among the patients, 160 cases were males and 108 were females, aged 22-77 years old with a median age of 47 years old. The patients all underwent splenectomy + pericardical devascularization. According to the postoperative complications happened or not, the patients were divided into the complication group (n=57) and non-complication group (n=211). The perioperative data of two groups were compared and the postoperative survival was followed up. The clinical data of two groups were compared using t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test. The rate was compared using Chi-square test.

The percentage of patients with medical history of total blood loss >1 000 ml and endoscopic treatment in the complication group was respectively 51%(29/57) and 26%(15/57), significantly higher than 29%(61/211) and 12%(26/211) in the non-complication group (χ²=8.749, 6.781; P<0.05). The level of ALT, AST and PT in the complication group was respectively 35(22) U/L, 50(31) U/L and (14.1±1.7) s, significantly higher than 26(21) U/L, 37(22) U/L and (13.5±1.6) s in the non-complication group (Z=2.691, Z=3.063, t=2.479; P<0.05). During postoperative follow-up, 6 patients died in the complication group and 11 in the non-complication group. There was no significant significance in the survival rate between two groups (χ²=1.008, P>0.05). Three cases of hepatocellular carcinoma occurred in the complication group and 5 in the non-complication group, and they all survived until the submission date.

Preoperative massive hemorrhage, medical history of endoscopic treatment, poor liver function and coagulation function are the influencing factors for the incidence of postoperative complications after pericardical devascularization. But these postoperative complications exert no effect upon the long-term survival of the patients.