IDIOPATHIC PORTAL-HYPERTENSION - AN OVERLOOKED ENTITY

Following the criteria laid down by the Japanese Committee on Idiopath ic Portal Hypertension (IPH), 89 cases of IPH were diagnosed. Though n ot confirmed, infections appeared to play some role in its etiology. M ajor presenting features were haematemesis and anaemia; one third of c ases had haemoglobin of less than 7 g/l; hypersplenism was present in 14%, Liver function test were within normal range in the majority of t he cases. Long term control of rebleeding was achieved satisfactorily with oral propranolol. Of the shunting procedures, proximal splenorena l shunt showed better results. It is concluded that IPH can be managed well with good long term survival. The diagnosis of IPH as the cause of portal hypertension assures an optimistic prognosis. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.