Encefalopatía hepática secundaria a la existencia de un shunt portosistémico tratada satisfactoriamente mediante radiología intervencionista

Abstract

Hepatic encephalopathy is a reversible state of altered cognition that may occur in patients with acute or chronic liver disease or porto-systemic shunt, and in which known neurological or psychiatric signs may develop. Nitrogenated substances from intestinal digestion reach the brain without being cleared by their passage through the liver due to the presence of porto-systemic shunt. We report two cases of patients with porto-systemic shunt diagnosed with recurrent chronic hepatic encephalopathy refractory to conventional medical treatment. They were satisfactorily treated with shunt embolization using interventionist radiology techniques. Copyright © 2007 Arán Ediciones, S. L.