POLYURETHANE-COATED DACRON-COVERED STENT-GRAFTS FOR TIPS - RESULTS INSWINE

Purpose: To evaluate shunt patency after placing a new polyurethane-co ated Dacron-covered spiral Z stent-graft to create a transjugular intr ahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Methods: TIPS stent-grafts were p laced in six young swine, using polyurethane-coated, Dacron-covered sp iral Z stent-grafts. Animals were followed weekly by transhepatic port al venography until shunt occlusion or up to 6 weeks, then were sacrif iced for gross and histologic evaluation. Results: Five of six TIPS st ent-grafts were found to be occluded by 3 weeks and none were patent a t 6 weeks. Histologic evaluation demonstrated a marked foreign body re action with superimposed thrombosis occluding the graft lumen. Conclus ion: Polyurethane-coated Dacron-covered stent-grafts do not improve TI PS patency.