Spontaneous aneurysmal intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt.

A 55-year-old man with hepatic cirrhosis, gastroesophageal varices, ascites, slight abdominal pain, and transient encephalopathy experienced unexpected spontaneous relief of his symptoms during hospitalization. Percutaneous transhepatic portography showed an aneurysmal intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt. Three years later, the shunt was still patent and had led to disappearance of the patient's varices and ascites. The patient remains stable 6 years later.