[A report on 53 cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome].

Budd-Chiari syndrome is an unusual form of portal hypertension caused by liver cirrhosis. Its mortality rate exceeds 50% within 2 years. Surgical therapy provides superior survival rates than conservative medical management. During 1984-1989, 58 cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome were treated at PUMC hospital. The age of these patients ranged from 16 to 62. There were 39 males and 19 females. Diagnosis was mostly made by simultaneous inferior and superior Vena Cavography and one case was diagnosed by liver biopsy. Intraluminal pressure measurement of IVC and diameter measurement of IVC by Doppler ultrasound method were used for diagnosis. Preoperative intraluminal mean pressure of IVC in 26 cases was 3.2 +/- 0.6 kPa and it decreased to 1.9 +/- 0.6 kPa postoperatively. (P less than 0.01) Digital membranotomy through right atrium was done in 34 cases, percutaneous balloon catheter dilatation in 7 cases and Meso-atrial shunt, inferior Vena Cava Atrial shunt were performed in 20 cases. Postoperative improvement was found in 85% of the patients during the follow-up period (from 2-60 months).