Effect of portasystemic shunt on hypersplenism: clinical study in 129 patients with cirrhosis.

The effect of portasystemic shunts on hypersplenism has been evaluated in 129 patients who were operated upon. Correction of hypersplenism was obtained in 79 per cent of patients with shunting procedures without splenectomy and 90 per cent of those with splenectomy. The improvement was significant and lasting. These results confirm the beneficial effect of splenic decompression on hypersplenism after simple portasystemic shunt. On the basis of these data, we feel that a difficult splenectomy can also be avoided in patients who have cirrhosis with striking hypersplenism.