[Portal hypertension and bleeding esophageal varices in children. Esophageal transection with paraesophagogastric devascularization versus shunting procedures (author's transl)].

It is known that portasystemic shunts in the treatment of portal hypertension causes in the long term a high rate of complications in children. The most severe are encephalopathy, postoperative hepatic failure in intrahepatic hypertension and occlusion or poor functioning of the shunts. The incidence of the last mentioned complication is high in children, especially in those operated in their early years of life.