Umbilical vein recanalization with a diameter greater than 6.48mm may promote deterioration of liver reserve function

This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of cirrhotic patients with umbilical vein recanalization (UVR) and explore the effects of UVR on portal hypertension and liver reserve function (LRF). A total of 122 cirrhotic patients were enrolled and stratified into UVR and non-UVR groups based on the presence or absence of UVR. Clinical and laboratory indices, including hepatic biochemical parameters, portal venous system diameters, portal vein thrombosis, portal pressure gradient (PPG), Child-Pugh classification, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, were compared between the 2 groups. Compared with the non-UVR group, patients in the UVR group had significantly lower serum albumin levels ( P = .032) and higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase ( P = .040) and total bilirubin ( P = .014). The UVR group also presented a markedly lower proportion of moderate-to-severe ascites ( P = .032), whereas no significant intergroup difference in PPG was detected. Additionally, the UVR group exhibited a significantly higher proportion of Child-Pugh B and C grades ( P = .031). Further subgroup analysis demonstrated that patients with a large UVR shunt (umbilical vein diameter > 6.48 mm) had worse Child-Pugh grade ( P = .044) and higher MELD scores ( P = .010) relative to non-UVR patients. In conclusion, UVR may alleviate moderate-to-severe ascites by reducing superior mesenteric venous pressure. An umbilical vein diameter exceeding 6.48 mm may be a potential risk factor for deteriorated liver reserve function. Although UVR does not significantly decrease portal venous pressure, it may aggravate portal hemodynamic burden and facilitate the progression of liver cirrhosis.