[The Denver peritoneojugular shunt. Current indications].

Personal experience of 31 patients suffering from intractable ascites due to advanced liver cirrhosis between 1978 and 1987 is reported. Seventeen patients were selected for a peritoneojugular shunt: in 3 patients the Le Veen shunt was performed and in 14 the Denver shunt was preferred. The high postoperative morbidity and mortality due to liver failure, DIC, hepatorenal syndrome, bleeding, sepsis and cerebral thrombosis is pointed out. Careful selection of patients to be submitted to this surgical procedure is essential because of the high morbidity due to ascites reinfusion. DIC has to be diagnosed as soon as possible and, when severe, the prompt interruption of the peritoneojugular shunt is mandatory.