Forty-seven cases of distal splenorenal shunt were studied. The perioperative mortality for elective and deferred shunts was 3%, and the overall perioperative mortality including the emergency shunts was 10.6%. Recurrent bleeding was 8.4% and long-term encephalopathy was 17%. The overall 5-year survival rate was 55%. In contrast to other reports, alcoholic patients were found to have a significantly better (80%) 5-year-survival rate than the nonalcoholics (35%). Improved survival in the alcoholic group correlated with abstention from alcohol.

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