Does large spontaneous portal systemic shunt in cirrhosis protect from the risk of gastroesophageal bleeding?

The risk of gastroesophageal bleeding in cirrhotic patients with massive spontaneous portosystemic shunt (SPSS) has been evaluated variously in the literature. We undertook a retrospective study in a large group of cirrhotic patients admitted to our surgical department to evaluate the incidence of large SPSS and the correlation with current or previous episodes of gastroesophageal hemorrhage. Of 456 patients submitted to splenoportography or celiac-mesenteric angiography, 20 showed evidence on the roentgenograms of large self-established SPSS. They were classified into three groups: (a) splenorenal shunts (three patients); (b) mesenteric-caval shunts (two patients), and (c) large patent umbilical vein (15 patients). Twelve of these 20 patients had one or more episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding, and seven of them were submitted to surgical treatment to prevent recurrent bleeding. No correlation was found between the risk of esophageal hemorrhage and the type of SPSS. We concluded that, despite the presence of massive SPSS, cirrhotic patients have an unpredictable risk of bleeding and they often require surgical treatment to prevent recurrent episodes.