[Splenohepatoplasty in the treatment of hepatic cirrhosis]

The authors review the patho-physiologic arguments that have determined Bénichoux to recommend spleno-hepatoplasty in the treatment of hepatic cirrhosis, and present a group of 7 personal observations in which they have tested this type of intervention. The technique employed is described, as well as the follow-up of the cases that had a favourable evolution. In one of the observations differences between the samples obtained by bioptic puncture before the intervention and those obtained at one and two years after surgery, have demonstrated a marked reduction in the intensity of inflammatory reactions, as well as evident reparation processes in the hepatocytes. The authors consider the intervention as a new type of therapy, allowing for re-vascularization of the ischaemic hepatic tissue, as well as for a slow porto-caval derivation with remarkable results for the cirrhotic patients.