Attention to the surgical treatment of portal hypertension in China

Portal hypertension caused by liver cirrhosis is common and severely threatens the patients′ health. The dominant position of the conventional surgical treatment was strongly challenged by the pharmacological, endoscopic esophageal variceal ligation (EVL), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and liver transplantation. So, what the prospect of surgical treatment is and whether it has disappeared? In fact, the surgical treatment is not only far from disappearing, but also play a unique and indispensable role, and could not be displaced by other treatments. Nowadays, the laparoscopic pericardial devascularization is widespread used, shows the increasingly prominent and distinct advantages of less injury and bleeding, fewer complications and faster recovery. The generalizing of multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) will combine advantages of varies subjects then provide the individual and precise diagnosis and treatment plan to patients. Authors should pay attention to the problems and then organize the clinical multicenter RCT studies, provide high level evidences, explore new surgical procedures, compose new clinical guidelines and consensuses which consistent with our national situations, thus to guide the clinical practice and will further improve the treatment of portal hypertension and raise our country′ voice in this subject. Key words: Portal hypertension; Surgical procedures, operative; Standardization; Individuation