IN PREVIOUS experimental work one of us (J. K. B.) showed that ligation of the hepatic and splenic arteries was a rational procedure in the treatment of portal hypertension due to cirrhosis of the liver1 In another communication the experimental evidence which indicates that this maneuver is useful in man will be summarized.2 After three years of investigation the senior author decided to try the operation on a patient with advanced cirrhosis of the liver. This man had ascites and bleeding varices. The following is a brief résumé of his case history together with laboratory findings: E. C. H. is a white man 60 years of age who came to the Indianapolis General Hospital on Feb. 27, 1949, complaining of swelling of his feet and legs and dyspnea on exertion. For a period of 18 months prior to his admission he had been failing in health. He stated