Successful treatment of early cancer of the liver and portal hypertension in patients presenting with bleeding oesophageal varices.

A small hepatoma was diagnosed by selective arteriography in 2 patients admitted for treatment of bleeding oesophageal varices. In both cases, hepatoma and variceal lesions were successfully treated. In the first case, left gastric vena caval shunt and local excision of the hepatoma were performed. In the second case, distal splenorenal shunt and local excision of the tumour were carried out. Although a combination of hepatoma and oesophageal varices may be an embarrassing problem, both lesions can be remedied provided that hepatoma is diagnosed at an early stage. It is stressed that arteriography is of value in assessment.