Improvement in chronic hepatocerebral degeneration following liver transplantation.
Chronic progressive hepatocerebral degeneration with spastic paraparesis, dementia, dysarthria, ataxia, tremor, and neuropsychiatric symptoms follows long-standing portal-systemic shunting, is associated with structural changes in the central nervous system, and does not respond to conventional therapy for hepatic encephalopathy. A case of advanced chronic liver disease with severe, progressive hepatocerebral degeneration after 23 yr of portal-systemic shunting is reported in whom there was significant objective improvement in intellectual function and in the chronic neurological signs 3 mo after orthotopic liver transplantation and further improvement 12 mo after transplantation.
Powell
E E
EE
Department of Medicine, University of Queensland, Australia.
Pender
M P
MP
Chalk
J B
JB
Parkin
P J
PJ
Strong
R
R
Lynch
S
S
Kerlin
P
P
Cooksley
W G
WG
Cheng
W
W
Powell
L W
LW
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011167:Portacaval Shunt, Surgical; D013997:Time Factors