ObjectiveTo evaluate the application of portosystemic shunt after subcutaneous transposition of the spleen (STS) to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in the rat. MethodsOne hundred and eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into the group of orthotopic liver transplantation after portosystemic shunts by subcutaneous transposition of the spleen (STS+OLT group) and the group of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT group). The two groups were further divided into A, B, C subgroups in the light of duration of anhepatic phase (phases were respectively less than 25 min, around 35 min and 45 min).There were fifteen rats in each subgroup. At the described intervals, blood samples were collected from the peripheral and portal vein for testing ALT, pH and endotoxin levels. The survival rates were also observed. Results The ALT value of all animals basically returned to normal levels on the 7th postoperative day in the STS+OLT group and the OLT A subgroup, but in OLT B subgroup, ALT was still remarkably elevated on the 7th postoperative day (P＜0.01), and returned to normal levels on the 30th postoperative day. The pH values and endotoxin levels from the portal vein of all animals in STS+OLT groups and OLT A subgroup had no significant difference (Pgt;0.05) at the beginning, the end of the anhepatic phase and at the time of reperfusion for 30 min. But in the OLT B and C groups, the pH values and endotoxin levels were significantly higher at the end of anhepatic phase and reperfusion for 30 min than those in the beginning of anhepatic phase (P＜0.01). The survival rates at postoperative different time points in both B and C subgroup of the OLT group were significantly lower than those in STS+OLT group animals (P＜0.05).Conclusion The portosystemic shunt by subcutaneous transposition of the spleen can notably improve both the success rate of the OLT procedure and the postoperative survival rate in the rat.