Relief of malignant ascites due to disseminated carcinoma of the kidney, using the LeVeen shunt

Control of malignant ascites by peritoneovenous shunting

Twenty peritoneovenous shunts were inserted in 17 patients with intractable malignant ascites. The ascites was controlled without the need for further paracentesis abdominis in 13 patients. Four shunts blocked and three patients had second shunts inserted, but other complications were minor. Patients who benefited from the procedure included those with macroscopically light blood staining of the ascites and those with malignant cells in the ascitic fluid. Unless the ascites is heavily blood-stained or the patient's anticipated survival is less than 1 month, peritoneovenous shunting is indicated for the treatment of uncontrollable malignant ascites.

Peritoneo-venous shunts for malignant ascites

Ten patients with uncontrollable malignant ascites had a Le Veen peritoneo-venous shunt inserted. A shunt controlled ascites (for up to 15 months) in five of seven patients until death occurred from the underlying malignancy. In two of three surviving patients, a shunt has controlled ascites for six and seven months respectively; in the third patient a shunt blocked after three months and was replaced by another shunt which is still functioning after six months. Peritoneo-venous shunting is indicated for the treatment of uncontrollable malignant ascites when the patient is expected to survive more than one month.