IMPROVEMENT OF THROMBOCYTOPENIA DUE TO HYPERSPLENISM AFTER TRANSJUGULAR INTRAHEPATIC PORTOSYSTEMIC SHUNT PLACEMENT IN CIRRHOTIC-PATIENTS

Thrombocytopenia secondary to hypersplenism is a well-known complicati on of portal hypertension, The effects of transjugular intrahepatic po rtosystemic shunt (TIPS) on hypersplenism have not been adequately stu died, In this report, we describe 11 patients who had significant impr ovement in their thrombocytopenia due to hypersplenism after TIPS, The re was a statistically significant improvement in the platelet counts after TIPS placement, in virtually every case during the follow-up per iod, although some patients had platelet counts less than 100,000/mm(3 ) at the end of the follow-up period, Statistically significant hemody namic improvement in the gradient pressure was observed immediately af ter TIPS, Furthermore, all patients tolerated the procedure well, and no TIPS-related complications were encountered during the follow-up pe riod, Our data suggest that TIPS is an effective, noninvasive alternat ive to surgical interventions in the management of hypersplenism in ci rrhotic patients, who are generally high-risk surgical candidates.