Abstract
Congenital portosystemic shunts are present in one in 30,000 children. Among the associated
risks of severe complications are neonatal cholestasis, benign and malignant liver
tumors, hepatopulmonary syndrome, portopulmonary hypertension, and encephalopathy.
They can be detected on prenatal ultrasonograms, during the investigation of a positive
galactosemia screening test in neonates or of a complication, or be found fortuitously
on an abdominal ultrasound. Small intrahepatic shunts may resolve spontaneously within
one year of age, but other shunts such as extrahepatic, persistent ductus venosus
or persisting intrahepatic shunts, must be closed in one or two steps, by interventional
radiology techniques or surgically. The plasticity of the intrahepatic portal system
allows revascularization of the liver after shunt closure, even when no intrahepatic
portal structures can be detected on imaging studies. This leaves little or no place
for liver transplantation in the management of these children.
Keywords
portosystemic shunts - children - liver tumors - hepatopulmonary syndrome - pulmonary
hypertension