[Peritoneovenous shunt in resistant ascites in patients with portal hypertension]. / Peritoneovenoznoe shuntirovanie pri rezistentnom astsite u bol'nykh s portal'noi gipertenziei.

Experience in 100 operations for the creation of a peritoneovenous shunt in 63 patients with portal hypertension and resistant ascites showed that in careful selection of patients and determination of contraindications this operation is an effective method for the treatment of resistant ascites in patients with portal hypertension. The shunt increases diuresis, reduces the volume of the abdomen, makes laparocentesis unnecessary, improves the patients' general condition and allows some of them to be prepared for interventions on the organs of the portal system which are more radical in character.

[Contraindications to splenectomy in primary total extrahepatic portal hypertension]. / Protivopokazaniia k splenéktomii pri pervichnoi total'noi vnepechenochnoi portal'noi gipertenzii.

The authors studied changes of hepatic circulation, hepatoportal hemodynamics, and homeostasis of peripheral and portal venous blood in response to removal of the spleen in primary total extrahepatic portal hypertension. The findings of rheohepatography, isotope hepatography, and ultrasonic flow measurement provided proof that splenectomy does not lead to intensification of the flow of arterial blood to the liver. Study of the portal pressure level did not demonstrate any significant hypotensive effect of splenectomy. Considerable changes occur after removal of the spleen, which creates real preconditions for the development of portal system thrombosis. All the above-said provides the basis for reducing considerably the range of indications for splenectomy and recommending it only in cases with marked clinical manifestations of hypersplenism hemolysis and increased tendency to bleeding.