Prophylactic Portacaval Anastomosis in Cirrhotic Patients with Esophageal Varices

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Abstract
This controlled prospective investigation of prophylactic portacaval anastomosis includes 68 cirrhotic patients. Although portacaval shunts were created in 25 with low operative mortality (8 per cent), and hemorrhage from varices was practically eliminated by portacaval shunts (4 per cent), the 31 control subjects not operated on enjoyed greater survival despite more frequent variceal hemorrhage (39 per cent). Fifty per cent of the control group and 68 per cent of the prophylactic-shunt group died during a follow-up period of 51 to 108 months. The major cause of death in the control group was variceal hemorrhage; in the prophylactic-shunt group it was hepatic failure.