Abstract

NUCETTE, Ana et al. Hipertensión portal en niños: historia natural, evolución, tratamiento y pronóstico. Gen [online]. 2010, vol.64, n.4, pp.323-329. ISSN 0016-3503.

Portal Hypertension (PHT) in children is hard to handle with as a result of multiple etiologies and because of using non standardized treatments. Purpose: Reporting the PHT’s natural history in children assisted in the Unit, assessing the evolution and impact of the treatment in the prognosis. Methods and Patients: 27 patients assessed between 1999 and 2009. The following was recorded: etiology, clinic, laboratory, Eco-Doppler, endoscopic classification of esophageal, gastric and fundic varices, Child-Pugh, and endoscopic therapy. Results: 18/27 (66.66%), Portal Cavernomatosis; 3/27 (11.11%), Secondary Liver Cirrhosis to Autoimmune Hepatitis; 3/27 (11.11%), Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis; 2/27 (7.40%), Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis; and 1/27 (3.70%), Budd-Chiari Syndrome; average age: 4.6 ± 4.47. First time with upper digestive hemorrhage: 17/27 (62.96%). Grade III Esophageal Varices, 13/27 (48.14%); and Grade IV: 4/27 (14.81%); Severe Hypertensive Gastropathy: 5/27 (18.51%); Type-II Gastro-esophageal Varices: 9/27 (33.33%). Primary prophylaxis by Propanolol: 9/27 (33.33%); and endoscopic ligature plus Propanolol: 1/27 (3.70%). Secondary prophylaxis: 17/27 (62.96%); with endoscopic ligature: 47.05%; Sclerotherapy: 35.29%; and ligature plus sclerosis: 17.64%. Usage of somatostatin: 2/17 (11.76%); and failure in controlling post-treatment hemorrhage: 1/17 (5.88%). Child-Pugh B: 4/27 (14.81%); and Child-Pugh C: 4/27 (14.81%). Post-Treatment: eradication of esophageal varices by endoscopic ligatures in 50% vs. 35.71% with sclerotherapy (p< 0.05), a 2 ± 1.41 average of sessions vs. 3.4 ± 1.78, respectively. Rebleeding in 2/17 (11.76%). Children with cirrhosis, with Child-Pugh B and C, compensated the hepatic disturbance with endoscopic therapy. A 5.3-year follow-up: 1/27 (3.70%) morbidity; one liver transplantation; 2 portal-cava derivation, and 3 in the wait list. Conclusion: The prescribed primary or secondary prophylaxis diminished the risk of varicose hemorrhage with few complications, and improved the patients’ prognosis.

Keywords : portal hypertension; natural history; esophageal varices; sclerosis; ligature.