TRANSJUGULAR INTRAHEPATIC PORTOSYSTEMIC SHUNT FOR BLEEDING ANGIODYSPLASIA-LIKE LESIONS IN PORTAL-HYPERTENSIVE COLOPATHY

Portal-hypertensive colopathy has attracted interest in recent years b ecause such lesions can cause life-threatening hemorrhage. In contrast to upper gastrointestinal bleeding from varices, there is no establis hed therapy for bleeding from angiodysplasia-like lesions. This case r eport describes the first successful use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for long-term control of bleeding from angi odysplasia-like colonic lesions in a patient with cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis B infection. During an 18-month course after TIPS, a ngiodysplasia-like lesions disappeared without any further evidence of recurrent hematochezia, TIPS may be helpful as second-line treatment in patients with recurrent portal-hypertensive bleeding from colonic a ngiodysplasia-like lesions who do not tolerate or are unresponsive to treatment with beta-adrenergic blockers.