[Embolization of splenic artery in children with portal hypertension].

This study examined the results of embolization of the splenic artery (ESA) in 30 children (age ranged from 5 to 14 years) with portal hypertension. Effectiveness of ESA was evaluated by a decrease in spleen size, hypersplenism, disappearance of esophageal varices and improvement in blood count. The results show that chronic embolization of the splenic artery in children is relatively safe and effective surgical treatment for portal hypertension. It lessens portal hypertension, reduces and in some cases eliminates hypersplenism and splenomegaly. Furthermore, being pathogenically sound it may be operation of choice in treatment of chronic hepatitis with portal hypertension and is well tolerated by children.