Noninvasive determination of LeVeen shunt patency

The LeVeen peritoneovenous shunt is being used with increasing frequency for management of intractable ascites. The question of postoperative shunt patency frequently arises. This report describes a unique, noninvasive method of assessing shunt patency using Doppler ultrasound. Four of five patients with shunts judged to be occluded by this new method had the findings substantiated by peritoneal instillation of radioisotope; the fifth patient was not studied by any other method. The evaluation with ultrasound is easily performed at operation and after operation and is reliable for assessing shunt patency.