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Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in patients who have undergone liver transplantation
N B Amesur1, A B Zajko, P D Orons
1Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA 15213, USA.
Purpose:
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement is an accepted treatment for refractory variceal bleeding and/or ascites in end-stage liver disease and is an effective bridge to liver transplantation. The authors present their experience with TIPS in patients with a liver transplant, who subsequently developed portal hypertension.
Materials And Methods:
Thirteen TIPS were placed in 12 adult patients from 6 months to 13 years after liver transplantation for variceal bleeding that failed endoscopic treatment (n = 6) and intractable ascites (n = 6). All patients were followed to either time of retransplantation or death.
Results:
No technical difficulties were encountered in TIPS placement in any of the patients. Four of six patients treated for bleeding stopped bleeding and did not experience re-bleeding, two had functional TIPS at 3 and 36 months and two underwent retransplantation at 3 and 7 months. Two patients had recurrent bleeding within 1 week and required reintervention. In the ascites group, one is 32 months since TIPS placement with control of his ascites, two patients underwent retransplantation at 2 and 6 weeks with interval improvement in ascites. Two patients died within a week of TIPS of fulminant hepatic failure. The last patient died 1 month after TIPS subsequent to a splenectomy.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the placement of a TIPS in a transplanted liver, in general, requires no special technical considerations compared to placement in native livers. Although this series is small, the authors believe that TIPS should be considered a treatment option in liver transplant recipients who present with refractory variceal bleeding. TIPS may have a role in the management of intractable ascites.