Partial splenectomy and partial splenic attachment for the treatment of portal hypertension.

Between 1973 and 1983 6 children with portal hypertension were treated at the University Children's Hospital Medical Centre in Teheran by transpositioning the spleen into the thorax. In one case with splenomegaly, ascites and 4 years of severe bleeding, this procedure was not possible. We therefore performed a partial splenectomy 7 years ago, with the view of a transpositioning into the thorax at a later date. Follow-up examinations revealed disappearance of the symptoms of portal hypertension. This led us to believe that this procedure could be adopted for the treatment of portal hypertension as an alternative to splenic transpositioning into the thorax and shunt operation. The precipitation and increase in collateral circulation with this method leads to rapid improvement.