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Surgical Treatment of Portal Hypertension

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Modern Concepts in Gastroenterology Volume 2

Part of the book series: Topics in Gastroenterology ((TGEN))

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Abstract

Portal hypertension occurs commonly in patients with liver disease and by itself is of little clinical significance. Only when the major life-threatening complication—bleeding esophageal varices—occurs does it become clinically important. At that point, the attending physician must have a good understanding of the pathophysiology of elevated portal venous pressure, the associated complicating factors in patients with chronic liver disease, the therapeutic choices available (both for the acute and for the long-term management of the bleed), and the results of treatment one can expect so that the best decisions can be made in the individual patient’s situation. This chapter will deal mainly with the surgical options but I will also touch on nonsurgical therapy (in as objective a fashion as possible) in order to put surgery into what I consider its proper perspective.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, M5G IL5, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    B. Langer

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  1. B. Langer
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Eldon Shaffer M.D.

  2. The University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Alan B. R. Thomson M.D., Ph.D.

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© 1989 Plenum Publishing Corporation

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Langer, B. (1989). Surgical Treatment of Portal Hypertension. In: Shaffer, E., Thomson, A.B.R. (eds) Modern Concepts in Gastroenterology Volume 2. Topics in Gastroenterology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0781-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0781-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8079-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0781-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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