This study was performed on 42 patients with intractable ascites due to liver cirrhosis. All patients had a Denver 
peritoneovenous shunt placed. There was a marked reduction in the body weight, and abdominal distension together with an increase in urine output. Almost all patients developed subclinical DIC, but only 3 manifested it clinically. We had several severe complications including variceal bleeding in 3, shunt sepsis in 2, fluid overload in 2, ascitic leak in 3, upper limb deep venous thrombosis in 1, encephalopathy in 1, and shunt occlusion in 5 patients. In this paper we shall discuss the patient selection, operative technique and complications of the procedure with special stress on how to avoid them