Oesophageal varices due to idiopathic portal vein thrombosis: a new surgical approach.

Life-threatening bleeding oesophageal varices due to idiopathic portal vein thrombosis occurred in a five-year-old male. Diagnosis was made by endoscopy and ultrasonography and decompression of the portal system performed by splenorenal shunt using the end renal vein to side splenic vein. This avoided the difficult mobilization of the splenic vein from the pancreatic bed in the conventional distal splenorenal shunt.