A peritoneovenous (LeVeen) shunt was inserted in 39 patients with cirrhosis and intractable ascites. Based on the results of previous experience, the following procedures were performed to improve outcome: 1) intraoperative drainage of most of the ascites; 2) short-term antibiotic prophylaxis by cefotetan; 3) the use of a titanium venous catheter tip. There was no operative mortality. Operative morbidity was minimal. Mean postoperative in-hospital stay was 19 +/- 5 days. Two patients had recurrence of ascites. This resulted from obstruction of the valve in one patient and of occlusion of the venous catheter in the second patient. One-year probability of shunt failure was 5.8 p. 100. Among the long-term complications, variceal bleeding was the most frequent as it occurred in 8 patients and was responsible for death in 6. One-year probability of variceal bleeding was 18.6 p. 100. Overall one-year survival was 68 p. 100, 79 p. 100 in the group of 19 patients with Pugh scores of 8 and less, 58 p. 100 in the group of 20 patients with Pugh scores greater than 8. These results suggest that technically improved peritoneovenous shunting is a low operative risk surgical procedure with high efficiency in the treatment of intractable ascites in cirrhosis.