World Journal of Emergency Medicine 2020;11(1):60-63

doi:10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2020.01.009

Surgical closure of large splenorenal shunt may accelerate recovery from hepato-pulmonary syndrome in liver transplant patients

Yan-jun Shi 1 ; Patrick Mckiernan 2 ; Kyle Soltys 2 ; George Mazariegos 2 ; Wei-lin Wang 1

Affiliations

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Keywords

hepato-pulmonary syndrome; splenorenal shunt; liver transplant; Surgical closure

Country

China

Language

English

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is not uncommon in the setting of liver disease, especially in liver cirrhosis patients. The prevalence of HPS in liver cirrhosis patients varies from 4% to 47%.[1-3] About the definition of HPS, it is a pulmonary vascular disorder with evidence of intrapulmonary arterial venous shunt.[4] Pulmonary dyspnea and polycythemia are common presentations of HPS. Dyspnea, cyanosis and clubbed fingers were present in most of all cases. Spider nevi is another common clinical feature of patients with HPS.