RESULTS	Among 274 patients ( mean age 41.8 years ) , the emergency operative mortality ( 4.4 % ) , selective operative mortality ( 2.2 % ) , complication rate ( 17.9 % ) , prevalence of hepatic encephalopathy ( < 1 % ) , rate of portal hypertension gastritis ( PHG ) bleeding ( 9.1 % ) , and morbidity of hepatic carcinoma ( 8 % ) were similar to those patients undergoing traditional operation ; the spleen immunology function ( Tuftsin , IgM ) decreased in both groups 2 months post operation , but this decrease did not reach statistical significance .\