After successful screening, cases of liver cirrhosis irrespective of etiology with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and secondary hypersplenism owing to cirrhotic portal hypertension will be enrolled. Baseline parameters will be recorded, and all patients will receive the interventional procedure (vagus nerve-guided laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection). From postoperative day 3, all patients will receive 2.5 mg oral Apixaban tablets (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cruiserath, USA) twice daily for 6 months, 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 month 3 after operation, electron gastroscopy examination for delayed gastric emptying will be performed for all patients. Postoperative complications of the digestive system (including diarrhea, epigastric fullness, bloating, nausea, and vomiting), liver and renal function, and body weight will be recorded at postoperative day 7 and month 3. Then, 3-month monitoring will be conducted as per the primary and secondary outcomes.
