[Follow-up results of splenic artery embolization in liver cirrhosis].

Long-term results of splenic artery embolization (SAE) were compared with those of surgical splenectomy and medical therapy for liver cirrhosis complicated by hypersplenism (50, 20 and 46 patients, respectively). Lethality and complication occurrence (AFTER) SAE were as high as 18% and 12% vs 10% and 5% after splenectomy. In long-term period correction of hypersplenism persisted only in 16%. However, clinical outcomes and survival of patients treated conservatively, did not significantly differ from results of transcatheter and surgical treatment. This investigation evidences that SAE has a high rate of complications and low effectiveness. Both SAE and splenectomy did not improve the survival if compared with medical therapy and therefore they should not be routinely used in clinical practice.