Intermittent changes in portal venous flow in relation with spleno-pancreatic collaterals--"the pancreatic siphon"--after a selective shunt in a patient with idiopathic portal hypertension: case report.

The case of a patient with idiopathic portal hypertension who was subjected to a selective shunt because of variceal bleeding is reported. Large pancreatic collaterals--the pancreatic siphon--were documented 2 years after the operation with loss of portal flow. At 14 years of follow-up, the pancreatic collaterals have disappeared gradually with normalization of portal venous flow in spite of patency of the shunt.