Effect of Partial Splenic Embolization on Hypersplenism in Postoperative Biliary Atresia Patients

Abstract

Partial splenic embolization (PSE) were performed in ten children with portal hypertension accompanied by hypersplenism. Nine of these children had been treated for biliary atresia and the remaining one had portal hypertension secondary to chronic hepatitis. White blood cells and platelet counts rose and remained within normal range in nine of the ten patients. Prolonged bleeding time also recovered to normal range one week after PSE. All these patients had a high fever of more than 38℃ for 2 to 4 weeks after embolization. Splenic abscess developed in Case 3 in 2 months after embolization and it was success-fully treated by several punctures. The remaining patients had no significant complication of the treat-ment. PSE under prophylactic antibiotics appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of hypersplenism as an alternative procedure to splenectomy.