What is portal vein embolization?
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Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:The liver has the unique ability to "grow back" after parts of it have been removed. The body does require that a minimum amount of liver be left behind following surgery in order to give the body enough time for this re-growth to occur.
Sometimes, when a cancerous tumor is very large, removing it leaves very little healthy liver to jump-start the re-growth. In these cases, doctors can use a special technique to help re-grow the liver before the tumor removal surgery. This technique is called portal vein embolization. Your doctor will identify the blood vessel going to the side of the liver with the largest part of the tumor. Using a needle, your doctor will cut off this blood vessel, and "trick" the liver into making the other side of the liver grow. Within a few weeks, there is enough re-grown liver to perform the tumor removal surgery.
The liver has the unique ability to "grow back" after parts of it have been removed. The body does require that a minimum amount of liver be left behind following surgery in order to give the body enough time for this re-growth to occur. Sometimes,... More -
Dr. John Lipman answered:Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a procedure performed by Interventional Radiologists (IR). IRs are board-certified physicians who specialize in minimally invasive targeted treatments to treat medical conditions all over the body. The portal vein receives venous blood from the stomach and intestines and delivers it to the liver. For some patients who have a tumor of the liver which will require surgical removal, PVE may be necessary. Embolization is a procedure that cuts off the flow of blood into an area that it previously supplied. The liver has 2 main lobes. PVE blocks the flow of portal vein blood to a particular lobe of your liver which contains a tumor causing it to get smaller, while the other healthy lobe enlarges to make the surgery safer for the patient. Usually the surgery is performed 3-4 weeks after the PVE procedure.
Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a procedure performed by Interventional Radiologists (IR). IRs are board-certified physicians who specialize in minimally invasive targeted treatments to treat medical conditions all over the body. The portal vein... More
