The medical records of 7 patients who underwent percutaneous transparaumbilical embolization of spontaneous portosystemic shunts for treatment of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) were retrospectively reviewed. Technical success was achieved in 100% (7/7) of patients. Four patients had complete resolution and 3 had improvement of signs and symptoms of HE within 3 days after the procedure for a clinical success rate of 100% (7/7). New-onset esophageal varices, a major complication, occurred in 1 patient. No other major complications were encountered. HE recurred in 71.4% (5/7) of patients during a median follow-up period of 43 months (range, 4-111 months).
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