Side-to-side lienorenal shunt without splenectomy in noncirrhotic portal hypertension in children.

Noncirrhotic portal hypertension is a common cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in infants, children, and adolescents in India. More than one major bleeding episode, severe hypersplenism, presence of fundal varices, rare blood group, remoteness from the hospital, and patient noncompliance to sclerotherapy formed the main indications for shunt surgery. One hundred four cases of noncirrhotic portal hypertension (age range, 18 months to 20 years) underwent side-to-side lienorenal shunt (SSLR) without splenectomy in a period of 15 years. Splenic veins varying in diameter from 4 to 18 mm and in length from 3 to 4 cm were skeletonized through the root of transverse mesocolon and a shunt of at least 1.5 cm in diameter was constructed. At a mean follow-up of 54 months, 87% of shunts were patent, 13% of shunts were blocked, and 2% were inadequate. Ten percent of the children had rebled, all of whom had a blocked shunt. Growth and development was normal and no patients developed encephalopathy. There was a good correlation between shunt patency on splenoportography and endoscopic disappearance of varices, reduction in the size of spleen and splenic pulp pressure, and improvement of hypersplenism.