Peritoneo-venous shunts for malignant ascites.
Ten patients with uncontrollable malignant ascites had a Le Veen peritoneo-venous shunt inserted. A shunt controlled ascites (for up to 15 months) in five of seven patients until death occurred from the underlying malignancy. In two of three surviving patients, a shunt has controlled ascites for six and seven months respectively; in the third patient a shunt blocked after three months and was replaced by another shunt which is still functioning after six months. Peritoneo-venous shunting is indicated for the treatment of uncontrollable malignant ascites when the patient is expected to survive more than one month.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D010536:Peritoneovenous Shunt; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures