Portal Circulation in Hydatid Cyst of the Liver

Abstract

In Spain infestation by Tenia echinococcus with simultaneous hydatid cyst formation, especially in the lungs and liver, is frequent. Only this species of cestode gives rise to all cases of hydatid cyst which we have seen. In recent years attention has been called to the fact of the progressive increase in hydatid cyst cases in the United States.¹ Our purpose in this paper is to offer a study and commentary on the importance of the splenoportogram in diagnosis and at the same time to investigate the effect on the portal circulation of hydatid cyst disease of the liver. In this study we utilized 11 patients and observed the following: (1) splenic venous pressure (equivalent to venous pressure in the portal vein); (2) comparison between the spleen-lung and arm-lung ether circulation times; (3) serial splenoportograms. Methods All the patients were prepared in the usual manner prior to performing the splenoportogram,