The study had the objective to evaluate the benefits of surgical
indication for portal hypertension in schistosomiasis patients followed
from 1985 to 2001.
Schistosoma mansoni
eggs were confirmed by at least six stool examinations or rectal biopsy.
Clinical examination, abdominal ultrasonography, and digestive endoscopy
confirmed the diagnosis of esophageal varices. A hundred and two patients,
61.3% male (14-53 years old) were studied. Digestive hemorrhage, hypersplenism,
left hypochondrial pain, abdominal discomfort, and hypogonadism were, in
a decreasing order, the major signs and symptoms determining surgical indication.
Among the surgical techniques employed, either splenectomy associated to
splenorenal anastomosis or azigoportal desvascularization, esophageal gastric
descompression and esophageal sclerosis were used. Follow-up of patients
revealed that, independent on the technique utilized, a 9.9% of death occurred,
caused mainly by digestive hemorrhage due to the persistence of post-treatment
varices. The authors emphasize the benefits of elective surgical indication
allowing a normal active life.
