Intrahepatic portocaval shunt for variceal hemorrhage prior to liver transplantation

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt: technical factors and new developments

The introduction of expandable metal stents in the mid 1980s led to the development of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPSS) as we know it today. Short-lived detrimental effects on the hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhosis accompany the acute reduction in portal pressure following TIPSS creation. Caution is needed in patients with cardiac dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension. With increasing expertise and careful patient selection, fatal procedural complications are rare and TIPSS can even be safely used as a bridge to liver transplantation. Shunt insufficiency and hepatic encephalopathy are more common following TIPSS. Currently, however, novel approaches to tackling both these limitations exist. These include the combination of uncovered TIPSS with variceal band ligation, and the introduction of polytetrafluoroethylene covered stents. Despite the lack of controlled studies, covered stents are now widely used and have the potential to drastically reduce shunt insufficiency, the need for long-term shunt surveillance and even hepatic encephalopathy.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt and its effects on orthotopic liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that preoperative transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPSS) reduces peri-operative transfusion requirements during orthotopic liver transplant, and may result in fewer episodes of poor, early graft function by reducing portosystemic shunting, thus improving portal blood supply to the graft.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypotheses that TIPSS improves early graft function and reduces transfusion requirements.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 82 liver transplant recipients between 1993 and 1999 was performed. The subgroups comprised 29 patients who had TIPSS prior to first orthotopic liver transplant and 53 matched controls without TIPSS.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the early graft function in the two groups. The prothrombin time before an orthotopic liver transplant was independently predictive of initial poor function. Transfusion requirements and total operating times were similar for both groups, although transfusion requirements were greater in those patients where TIPSS led to technical difficulties during the operation (n = 6). The TIPSS patients required a longer hospital stay than the non-TIPSS patients (41 +/- 8 vs 26 +/- 4 days, P < 0.05). There were significantly more patients needing dialysis in the TIPSS group (41.3% vs 9.4%, P < 0.001). Pulmonary infection was less common in the TIPSS group (P < 0.05), with a trend to reduced wound infections. The 12 month patient and graft survival were similar in both groups. Serum albumin levels assessed before orthotopic liver transplant independently predicted 12 month graft survival.

CONCLUSIONS

TIPSS does not improve early graft function, nor reduce blood transfusion requirements perioperatively. The longer post-operative hospital stay in the TIPSS group is worthy of further study. TIPSS prior to transplantation, despite having the potential for technical operative complications, has no detrimental effects on patient and graft survival, and if required should be undertaken.

Magnetic resonance angiography in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stenting: comparison with contrast hepatic and portal venography

In order to highlight the role of magnetic resonance angiography [MRA] in the assessment of patients pre-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) stenting, the MRA images of portal and hepatic veins of 21 patients were compared with the images from contrast portal and hepatic venograms performed on the same patients at the time of TIPS stenting (20 patients). MRA enabled accurate, non-invasive, multiplanar imaging of portal and systemic venous anatomy in each of the patients studied. MRA facilitated accurate determination of vessel patency and flow direction, images correlating exactly with contrast venograms of hepatic and portal veins in each case. In one patient, identification of occult hepatocellular carcinoma extending to the portal vein lead to the postponement of the TIPS procedure.

Treatment of portal hypertension in children

The management of children with portal hypertension (PH) has substantially changed owing to the good results and broader application of both endoscopic sclerotherapy and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Since the introduction of sclerotherapy for the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices, the number of surgical procedures has sharply decreased. Until the early 1980s, however, the treatment of choice of bleeding esophageal varices was based on different variations of two main types of open surgery: devacularization and transection operations and portosystemic shunts. The experience with nonshunt procedures is limited in the pediatric population. Literature reports from the last 25 years have emphasized a number of restrictions related to portosystemic shunts in small subjects. However, portosystemic shunts, selective or not, can be performed even in very young subjects with high rates of success. From 1974 to 1984 the distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS) was the procedure of choice for the treatment of children with variceal bleeding in our institution. Forty-two children underwent DSRS during this period. Since 1985, when endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy (EVS) replaced DSRS as the first therapeutic option in our service, this shunt has been performed in only 8 children in whom EVS has failed, none of them during the last 2 years. In this cohort of 50 cases of DSRS, the shunt patency has increased from 71% in the first 7 patients to 95% thereafter. There has been no perioperative mortality. From 1985 to April 1993, 107 children were submitted to EVS sessions for the treatment of esophageal varices bleeding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt procedure for variceal bleeding

BACKGROUND

Transjugular placement of an intrahepatic stent is a new technique to establish a portosystemic shunt for treatment of portal hypertension. A puncture needle is advanced in a catheter through the inferior vena cava into a hepatic vein; then an intrahepatic branch of the portal vein is punctured and an expandable stent of metallic mesh is implanted to establish the shunt.

METHODS

We attempted the stent-shunt procedure in 100 of 112 consecutive patients with variceal bleeding due to cirrhosis, who were then followed for a mean (+/- SD) of 12 +/- 6 months. Of the 100 patients, 22 had Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis, 10 were treated on an emergency basis, and 68 had alcoholic cirrhosis. The shunt was established with use of Palmaz stents expanded to 8 to 12 mm in diameter.

RESULTS

Technical success was achieved in 93 percent of the patients. The mean (+/- SD) time for the procedure was 1.2 +/- 0.3 hours. The shunt reduced the portal venous pressure gradient by 57 percent. Major complications were hemorrhage (intraabdominal bleeding in six patients, biliary bleeding in four, and bleeding in the liver capsule in three) and migration of the stent into the pulmonary artery (in two patients). At follow-up, stenosis of the shunt was evident in 21 patients and occlusion in 10 patients; 10 of these 31 patients had variceal rebleeding. Stenoses and occlusions of the shunt were all treated successfully by redilation, thrombolysis, or implantation of an additional stent. Hepatic encephalopathy (stages I to III) developed in 25 percent of the patients. The proportion of patients with shunts who remained free of variceal rebleeding was 92 percent at six months and 82 percent at one year. The 30-day mortality was 3 percent. The cumulative one-year survival was 85 percent.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the transjugular placement of an intrahepatic portosystemic stent is an effective and safe treatment for variceal hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPS) in the treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome

Budd-Chiari syndrome is characterized by splanchnic congestion due to obstruction of the hepatic venous outflow. A variety of treatment modalities have limited applicability due to their invasive nature, complications or low effectivity. The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPS) offers a new treatment by creating an intraparenchymal duct between a main branch of the portal vein and hepatic vein i.e. the intrahepatic part of the inferior vena cava. This paper describes the treatment of two patients with fulminant and subacute Budd-Chiari syndrome treated 2 days and 2 months after the onset of clinical symptoms. It demonstrates that TIPS is a feasible treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome that restores splanchnic blood flow, reduces collateral circulation and ascites and provides sufficient time to allow for elective liver transplantation, if indicated. Further studies are required to evaluate the effect of TIPS on liver function and survival.

Preliminary experience with transluminal laser-induced intrahepatic portacaval shunts

This study investigated the feasibility of performing an intrahepatic portacaval shunt (IHPCS) by means of transluminal laser angioplasty. In 10 anesthized dogs, a catheter was introduced into a mesenteric vein and threaded into the portal vein (PV). Under fluoroscopy, a Ross needle was passed through the PV catheter, liver, and into the intrahepatic IVC. Following guidewire exchange, a neodymium YAG laser hot-tip probe (power setting 8 W) was passed over the guidewire to accomplish a transluminal IHPCS. In five animals, an IHPCS could not be accomplished. Initial and subsequent patency was confirmed by fluoroscopy. These early data suggest that transvenous laser-induced intrahepatic portacaval shunts may be feasible as a means of decompressing portal hypertension. Further research is necessary, to investigate the long-term patency as well as this technique's ability to decompress the portal system.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS): early clinical experience

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS) is a new percutaneous technique for reducing portal venous pressure. We attempted TIPSS in six patients with recurrent bleeding for oesophageal or gastric varices between July 1991 and January 1992 with success in five. There have been no deaths. One patient re-bled after TIPSS. His portal pressure was found to be elevated persistently indicating an inadequate shunt. Following further dilatation of the shunt, portal pressure fell to a satisfactory level and bleeding has not recurred. No bleeding episodes have occurred in the other patients following successful TIPSS. Our series contributes to the growing body of experience which suggests that TIPSS is a safe and effective treatment for recurrent variceal bleeding.

Issues in gastrointestinal endoscopy: oesophageal varices: inject, band, medicate, or operate

Injection sclerotherapy is the most widely used definitive treatment of acute variceal bleeding and is increasingly performed at the time of the first emergency endoscopy. Direct endoscopic ligation of varices by banding is a new technique under evaluation for both acute bleeding varices and long-term management. Repeated injection sclerotherapy is one of the major options for long-term management after variceal bleeding. More major surgical procedures are usually reserved for the failures of sclerotherapy in the management of acute variceal bleeding, whereas portosystemic shunts, particularly the distal splenorenal shunt, or an extensive devascularization and transection operation are commonly used alternative forms of therapy in long-term management. All patients with variceal bleeding should be assessed for liver transplantation, although only a few will ultimately receive a liver transplant. Medication with propranolol is widely recommended in long-term management, but its use in this context remains controversial. The most controversial area of management is prophylactic treatment before variceal bleeding. Major surgical procedures and injection sclerotherapy are not justified at present because it is difficult to identify those patients with a high likelihood of a first variceal bleed. Although medical therapy with propranolol has proved the most successful therapy to date, a case is made for treating most patients conservatively until their first variceal bleed occurs or until better predictive indices for patients at high risk of a first bleed are identified.