treatment and prognosis

Last reviewed 01/2018

  • treat any ascites and any known underlying aetiology
  • thrombolytic therapy
  • surgical resection of any congenital webs
  • side-to-side portacaval or splenorenal anastomosis to decompress the congested liver and improve clinical state of patient
  • resistant ascites - provide palliation by a LeVeen or peritoneal-venous shunt; but do not consider this as a substitute for a side-to-side shunt
  • liver transplantation - rapidly becoming the treatment of choice

The prognosis is dependent upon the aetiology. It is good in the absence of malignant neoplasms, with patients surviving several years.