Portal venous pressure as a predictor of mortality in cirrhotic patients undergoing emergency surgery.

OBJECTIVE

Emergency surgery is a risk factor for mortality in cirrhotic patients. Portal hypertension is an essential feature of decompensated cirrhosis. This study aimed to assess the value of portal venous pressure (PVP) measurement in prediction of 1-month mortality in cirrhotic patients undergoing emergency laparotomy.

METHODS

This prospective study included 121 adults with liver cirrhosis subjected to an emergency laparotomy. Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score were used for preoperative patient evaluation. PVP was measured directly at the beginning of surgery. Portal hypertension (PHT) is diagnosed when PVP is greater than 12 mmHg. The primary outcome measure was the risk of mortality within one month after surgery.

RESULTS

PVP ranged from 5 to 27 mmHg; 82 patients (67.8%) had PHT. Fifty-five patients (45.5%) died within 1 month. Mortality was significantly associated with increasing CTP Class, MELD score and PHT (p < 0.001 for all). PHT predicts mortality with a sensitivity of 83.6% and specificity of 92.8%. PHT was the only independent predictor of mortality (OR: 23.0, 95%CI: 8.9-59.4).

CONCLUSION

In patients with liver cirrhosis, emergency laparotomy carries a substantial risk of mortality within one month. Portal hypertension is an independent predictor of risk of mortality in these patients.