PORTAL VEIN in CHRONIC HEPATITIS and CIRRHOSIS

NGUYEN THIEN HUNG, MEDIC MEDICAL CENTER, HCMC, VIETNAM

SUMMARY
Studying of the portal vein velocity on 101 chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis cases, author notes a decreasing of both the portal vein flow velocity (V.mean)= 10,55 +/- 5,42 cm/sec and the portal vein flow volume =798,96 +/- 445,60 mL/min, and most of cases, the portal vein has a pattern of hepatopetal, continuous flow (69/74 cases). In Vietnamese patients, it could determine a decreasing of the portal vein flow velocity when the portal vein velocity drops off below a value of V.Max = 17 cm/sec. Author also emphasizes the significance of prognosis of the decreasing portal vein flow velocity and the unchangeful portal vein flow with respiratory rate in chronic hepatitis patients that are considered as predictive signs of the portal hypertension.