Reasonable choice of therapies for portal hypertension and the evaluation of its curative effects LI Hong-wei, ZHOU Guang-wen. Department of Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China Abstract Although there are several types of treatment approaches for portal hypertension, its main goal has been to control gastroesphageal variceal bleeding. It is generally accepted that the non-surgical approaches such as drugs, endoscopy and intervention should be adopted when acute bleeding occurred and the indications of various approaches should be strictly managed. The surgical approaches include devasculation, shunting and liver transplantation. While liver transplantation has been the only effective treatment method, traditional surgical approaches such as devasculation and shunting still lie the occupying position for a long-term in the future due to the difference in economy and regions. It is requisite that the choice of surgical approaches should not be able to affect liver transplantation in the future. TIPS is a bridge between controlling bleeding and liver transplantation. The reservation of liver function would decide the survival time in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension.