Embolization to reverse severe recurrent hepatic encephalopathy.

Five patients with porto-systemic shunts, four spontaneous and one surgically created, presenting severe recurrent hepatic encephalopathy rebel to clinical treatment were angiographically examined. A spontaneous splenic-renal veins shunt was observed in four cases and a mesocaval shunt was identified in the remaining patient. Two thirds embolization of the spleen was able to control hepatic encephalopathy in two patients. Percutaneous transhepatic portography and selective embolization of the shunt was performed in two other patients with good results. Percutaneous transcaval embolization of the mesocaval shunt succeeded to control hepatic encephalopathy in the remaining patient. Splenic embolization is able to control hepatic encephalopathy in patients with splenomegaly and spontaneous porto-systemic shunt. Direct embolization of the shunt is also able to control hepatic encephalopathy as should be expected.