Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration in a patient with hyperammonemic encephalopathy after living donor liver transplantation

Understanding Local Hemodynamic Changes After Liver Transplant: Different Entities or Simply Different Sides to the Same Coin?

Liver transplantation is an extremely complex procedure performed in an extremely complex patient. With a successful technique and acceptable long-term survival, a new challenge arose: overcoming donor shortage. Thus, living donor liver transplant and other techniques were developed. Aiming for donor safety, many liver transplant units attempted to push the viable limits in terms of size, retrieving smaller and smaller grafts for adult recipients. With these smaller grafts came numerous problems, concepts, and definitions. The spotlight is now aimed at the mirage of hemodynamic changes derived from the recipients prior alterations. This article focuses on the numerous hemodynamic syndromes, their definitions, causes, and management and interconnection with each other. The aim is to aid the physician in their recognition and treatment to improve liver transplantation success.

Spontaneous portosystemic shunt embolization in liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatic encephalopathy

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Spontaneous portosystemic shunts (SPSS) are a common cause of recurrent hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Shunt occlusion is an effective and safe procedure when performed in patients with cirrhosis and preserved liver function. We aimed to describe our experience with SPSS embolization after liver transplantation (LT).

PATIENTS

We identified five patients who underwent SPSS embolization after LT. Clinical, biochemical and technical procedure data were collected.

RESULTS

At presentation, all patients had developed graft cirrhosis and HE after LT. Median Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) at embolization was 9 (range 7-12), median Child-Pugh was 8 (range 7-9). Splenorenal and mesocaval shunt were the most frequent types of SPSS found. Three patients have been completely free of HE. Of the two patients who had HE recurrence after embolization, one patient had two episodes of HE which was controlled well with medications. The other patient required three embolizations because of recurrent HE. Median follow-up was 4.4 years (range 1.0-5.0) and MELD score at last follow up was 13 (range 10-18) and median Child-Pugh score B, 7 points (range 5-12).

CONCLUSIONS

SPSS can be considered as a cause of HE after LT. SPSS embolization is feasible and safe in LT recipients.

Recurrent Hepatic Encephalopathy Due to Surgically Created Shunt During Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Hepatic encephalopathy due to portosystemic shunts is a well-defined entity in patients with cirrhosis. Rarely, liver transplant recipients develop hepatic encephalopathy owing to persistence or surgically created portosystemic shunts. We present a case of post-transplant recurrent hepatic encephalopathy due to a surgically created portocaval shunt. The patient was managed by a covered metal stent placement in the inferior vena cava, thus causing functional closure of the shunt.

Effective balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration of the superior mesenteric vein-inferior vena cava shunt in a patient with hepatic encephalopathy after living donor liver transplantation

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) has become a common and effective procedure for treating hepatic encephalopathy due to a portosystemic shunt related to cirrhosis of the liver. However, this method of treatment has rarely been reported in patients after liver transplantation. Here, we report the case of a 52-year-old patient who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) due to hepatitis C virus-infected hepatocellular carcinoma that was complicated with portal vein thrombosis and a large portosystemic shunt between the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) and inferior vena cava (IVC). The SMV-IVC shunt was not obliterated during LDLT because there was sufficient portal flow into the graft after reperfusion. However, the patient was postoperatively complicated with encephalopathy due to the portosystemic shunt. BRTO was performed and was demonstrated to have effectively managed the encephalopathy due to the SMV-IVC shunt, while preserving the hepatic function after LDLT.

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration for a portosystemic shunt after pediatric living-donor liver transplantation

Portosystemic shunts may cause steal phenomenon after liver transplantation, which can lead to graft loss without proper management. Portal vein stenosis is one of the causes for the occurrence of portosystemic shunts after liver transplantation. Recently, new interventional radiologic techniques have been developed in the field of liver transplantation. Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) is a novel interventional technique for gastric varices and portosystemic shunts and also is effective for increasing portal vein flow. We herein report a pediatric case of portal vein stenosis with a large shunt successfully treated with a combination of balloon dilatation and B-RTO. If enlarged collateral vessels cause steal phenomenon, then B-RTO should be considered as an additional therapy.

Persistent portosystemic shunts after liver transplantation causing episodic hepatic encephalopathy

We describe two cases of post liver transplant encephalopathy caused by persistent portosystemic shunts despite good graft function. Such recurrence of encephalopathy due to persistent shunting has not been reported in the deceased donor liver transplant literature. Our patients had episodic hepatic encephalopathy concordant with elevated serum ammonia levels due to well documented persistent portosystemic shunts. In one of our cases, the shunt was obliterated via coil embolization. This patient's encephalopathy resolved completely and has not recurred over seven months of follow up. The second patient has declined an intervention, but has remained symptom free on maintenance lactulose and rifaximin.

Endovascular coil embolization in a postnephrostomy renal vein to renal pelvis fistula

We report the case of a 74-year-old man with post-percutaneous-nephrostomy venous hemorrhage from an iatrogenic fistula between the renal pelvis and a large tributary of the renal vein. Conservative management failed to contain the hemorrhage. Hence the fistula was occluded by coil embolization through the renal vein. This endovascular approach enabled rapid and effective stoppage of the venous bleed.There was no recurrence of the bleed or any pertinent complication at 3-month follow-up.

Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration of a GastroRenal Shunt using Hydrogel-Coated Coil Embolization

Balloon-retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) can be an appropriate treatment modality for hepatic encephalopathy in the setting of portal-systemic shunting in selected patients. We describe a case of a large gastro-renal shunt that was successfully treated via combined BRTO and expandable hydrogel-coated coil embolization, with an emphasis on technique.