Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt - Experiences at a liver transplantation center

Objective. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement i s an established therapy for portal hypertension that leads to variceal ble eding or refractory ascites. We present experiences of the role of TIPS at a liver transplantation center. Material and Methods. One hundred and ten patients were referred to the Rad iological Department for TIPS placement. One of the 110 patients had recurr ent cirrhosis after liver transplantation with refractory ascites. Function of the TIPS was controlled with Doppler US at 1 day, 1 week, 4 weeks and 4 months after TIPS placement and subsequently every 3 months. Shunt insuffi ciency was supposed when the blood how velocity within the stent tract was under 50 cm/s and was an indication for TIPS revision. Results: TIPS was placed in 101 patients. After TIPS placement, 10 patients underwent liver transplantation. While waiting for the new liver, none of them developed variceal rebleeding, ascites or other complications of porta l hypertension. Two of the 101 patients had episodes of rebleeding. The fre quency of patients undergoing TIPS revision within the first year after TIP S placement was 67.5%, within the second year 38.0% and within the third ye ar 24.4%. The revisions led to sufficient reduction of the portosystemic pr essure gradient. Conclusion: In some liver transplant candidates, TIPS can be useful in mini mizing the risk of complications of portal hypertension during the waiting time for a liver transplantation. TIPS can be monitored by Doppler US and r evised if occlusion occurs.