Clinico-pathologic findings in children with hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is infrequently reported in children. Clinical-pathological findings in 10 HPS children were compared with non-HPS controls. Six patients had cirrhosis and four had noncirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH) 40%. Polysplenia and abnormal venous malformations were exclusive to this group. This prevalence of NCPH with systemic venous anomalies suggests that HPS is associated with pulmonary vasoactive factors not cleared by the liver. Hepatopulmonary syndrome should be considered in any patient with hypoxemia and intrapulmonary shunting whether there is overt clinical liver disease or not.