Embolization of the splenic artery. Emergency therapy in varices hemorrhage and in hypersplenism

In bleeding of oesophageal varices with resistance to common treatment embolisation of the splenic artery causes depression of the portal hypertension by forty per cent. Thrombosis of the splenic or portal vein as in splenectomies are not to be expected. The splenic vein remains open for later spleno-renal anastomosis. By occlusion of the splenic artery we were successful in stopping oesophageal bleeding. In a patient with dominant hypersplenism in portal hypertension the severity of the syndrome decreased after embolisation of the splenic artery. Thrombocytes, leukocytes and gammaglobulin increased.