Successful splenorenal shunt for emergent control of variceal bleeding in a small child.

A 8.6-kg, 10-month-old boy with idiopathic cavernous transformation of the portal vein developed variceal hemorrhage refractory to nonoperative management. A distal splenorenal shunt was performed while the bleeding was controlled with balloon tamponade. Hemorrhage was successfully controlled with no recurrent bleeding and the shunt remains patent at 1 year of follow-up.