Laparoscopic Splenectomy and Azygoportal Disconnection With Intraoperative Endoscopic Variceal Ligation

This study aimed to evaluate whether synchronous vagus nerve-preserving laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection with intraoperative endoscopic variceal ligation (SVEL) is effective and safe, and to determine whether SVEL can effectively decrease the incidence of postoperative esophageal variceal re-bleeding.

After successful screening the cases of cirrhosis of liver irrespective of the etiology who have prior esophageal/gastroesophageal variceal bleeding will be enrolled. The baseline parameter will be recorded and the patient will be randomized into either interventional (synchronous vagus nerve-preserving laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection with intraoperative endoscopic variceal ligation (SVEL)) or control (single vagus nerve-preserving laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection without intraoperative endoscopic variceal ligation (SVEL)) group. From postoperative day 3, all patients will receive 100 mg oral aspirin enteric-coated tablets (Bayer, Leverkusen, Germany) once daily for 1 year, low-molecular-weight heparin (CS Bio, Hebei, China) subcutaneously (4.100 IU/day) for 5 days, and 25 mg of oral dipyridamole (Henan Furen, Henan, China) thrice daily for 3 months. At months 3, 6, and 12 after operation, endoscopic intervention will be done for all patients. Endoscopic variceal ligation was made if the diameter of the esophageal varices was \>5 mm. Postoperative complications of esophageal variceal re-bleeding and death due to re-bleeding will be recorded during the postoperative first year monitoring in the both groups as per the primary or secondary outcome.