Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a common complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. The development of PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis has not been taken seriously emphasis by clinicians, and there are few related studies. Up to now, no consensus has been reached on the diagnosis and treatment of liver cirrhosis complicated by PVT. In recent years, with the improvement in clinical diagnosis and treatment techniques and increasing knowledge of this disease, the influence of PVT on the course of disease in patients with liver cirrhosis has been taken seriously. This article investigates the development and progression, diagnosis, prevention, and related therapeutic methods of PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis.