Prospective comparison of partial versus total portal decompression for bleeding esophageal varices.

Eighty-six patients underwent portacaval shunt (PCS) to treat bleeding esophagogastric varices during a period of four years. Twenty-eight patients (group 1) underwent emergency total portal decompression, while 58 patients (group 2) underwent elective partial PCS. Age, gender, preshunt and postshunt alcohol consumption and modified Child-Pugh classification at the time of operation, and at latest follow-up evaluation, did not differ significantly between the two groups. Early mortality was higher after emergency shunts than after elective operation (p < 0.01). However, partial portal decompression, when compared with total shunt, resulted in a significantly lower likelihood of late mortality (13 versus 39 percent) (p < 0.05), as well as portasystemic encephalopathy (8 versus 56 percent) (p < 0.0005). All shunts remained patent postoperatively and no patient had variceal rebleeding during follow-up evaluation averaging 2.2 years. Duplex sonography demonstrated hepatofugal portal flow in all patients in both groups. The results of the current study suggest that partial portal decompression is technically feasible, prevents further variceal hemorrhage and confers significant protection against late mortality and the development of postshunt neuropsychologic dysfunction.