An actual case report regarding the Rex Shunt Procedure (adults)

In the last decade, the Rex Shunt procedure has been successfully performed on children with portal vein thrombosis, however to the best of my knowledge has not been performed on adults with the exception of one person which I found had the operation in Niigata, Japan. The following article (click link below) was posted by a group of Japanese doctor’s who had successfully performed the Rex Shunt Procedure on an adult male a few year’s ago. Although the article is technical in nature, nonetheless I hope you are able to glean some good information from it?

It is interesting to note that this group of Japanese doctor’s are recommending the Rex shunt procedure be performed on a larger scale for adults with portal vein thrombosis.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/e53875128l97v008/fulltext.html

This article begs the question of whether or not there is general consensus amongst gastroentrologists and other specialists that this procedure is even a viable option for patients with PVT. Cost factor’s and risks versus gains would likely weigh into the equation also? This being said I would really appreciate input from anyone, especially doctor’s as the report above and a recent statement (see below) from Dr. Riccardo Superina (Children’s Memorial Hospital Chicago, IL) support the procedure be performed on adults.

“There is no reason that it cannot be applied to adults, and we would be happy …to hear their cases if they wished to send case summaries along and recommend further investigation or action.”