Intractable XXXX treated with peritoneovenous shunts (LeVeen). A 24- to 64-month follow-up of results in 52 alcoholic cirrhotics.

@entity1 @entity295 @entity360 @entity843 @entity281 @entity99 @entity7160
Peritoneovenous shunts (LeVeen) were placed in 52 @entity1 with intractable @entity843 due to @entity7160 between March 1975 and June 1978. The @entity843 was defined as intractable if it persisted despite at least six weeks of in-hospital medical management. Only 4.5% of such @entity1 seen during this interval met this criterion by failing to respond to intensive drug and diet therapy. Eight (15%) died five to 60 days postoperatively; six of these did not undergo diuresis. @entity99 and @entity295 were important contributing factors. There were 21 late deaths (mean survival, 16 months), primarily related to complications characteristic of this group of cirrhotics: @entity360 and @entity281 . Twenty-three @entity1 were alive by June 25, 1980, with mean survival of 46 months. Four @entity1 operated on five or more years ago survive without @entity843 . An accurately placed LeVeen shunt dramatically relieves intractable @entity843 with improvement in renal function, nutrition, and general health. The operation enables at least partial rehabilitation so that ambulatory care becomes feasible for many of these chronically and seriously disabled @entity1 .
