NCT07462091

Vagus Nerve-guided Laparoscopic Splenectomy and Azygoportal Disconnection

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 15 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of vagus nerve-guided laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection, and to assess its impact on postoperative digestive complications and quality of life.

Detailed description

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.

Conditions

• Cirrhosis
• Hypersplenism
• Hypertension, Portal

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Vagus nerve-guided laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection	The vagus nerve-guided procedure was performed in the following order: (1) find the left crural diaphragm; (2) via the surface of the left crural diaphragm, blunt dissect the left lateral surface of the distal esophagus using Bipolar Forceps, and find posterior vagal trunk; (3) along posterior vagal trunk towards left lateral esoph-agogastric junction, find and protect gastric and celiac branches; (4) enter the lesser omental sac from the right crural diaphragm using Bipolar Forceps; (5) transect the left gastric artery and vein together using a linear vascular stapler; (6) blunt dissect the anterior surface of the distal esophagus using Bipolar Forceps, and find anterior vagal trunk; (7) along anterior vagal trunk towards right lateral esoph-agogastric junction, find and protect gastric and hepatic branches; and (8) blunt dissect the right lateral surface of the distal esophagus. The hepatogastric ligament was conserved.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-25
• Primary completion: 2027-03-31
• Completion: 2027-03-31
• First posted: 2026-03-10
• Last updated: 2026-04-01

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: China