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Updated: Sep 30, 2026
Technique of Porcine Liver Procurement and Orthotopic Transplantation using an Active Porto-Caval Shunt
Published on: May 7, 2015
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt and its effects on orthotopic liver transplantation
Dhiraj Tripathi1, George Therapondos, Doris N Redhead
1Department of Medicine, The Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland. d.tripathi@ed.ac.uk
Background:
It has been reported that preoperative transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPSS) reduces peri-operative transfusion requirements during orthotopic liver transplant, and may result in fewer episodes of poor, early graft function by reducing portosystemic shunting, thus improving portal blood supply to the graft.
Objective:
To test the hypotheses that TIPSS improves early graft function and reduces transfusion requirements.
Methods:
A retrospective review of 82 liver transplant recipients between 1993 and 1999 was performed. The subgroups comprised 29 patients who had TIPSS prior to first orthotopic liver transplant and 53 matched controls without TIPSS.
Results:
There was no significant difference in the early graft function in the two groups. The prothrombin time before an orthotopic liver transplant was independently predictive of initial poor function. Transfusion requirements and total operating times were similar for both groups, although transfusion requirements were greater in those patients where TIPSS led to technical difficulties during the operation (n = 6). The TIPSS patients required a longer hospital stay than the non-TIPSS patients (41 +/- 8 vs 26 +/- 4 days, P < 0.05). There were significantly more patients needing dialysis in the TIPSS group (41.3% vs 9.4%, P < 0.001). Pulmonary infection was less common in the TIPSS group (P < 0.05), with a trend to reduced wound infections. The 12 month patient and graft survival were similar in both groups. Serum albumin levels assessed before orthotopic liver transplant independently predicted 12 month graft survival.
Conclusions:
TIPSS does not improve early graft function, nor reduce blood transfusion requirements perioperatively. The longer post-operative hospital stay in the TIPSS group is worthy of further study. TIPSS prior to transplantation, despite having the potential for technical operative complications, has no detrimental effects on patient and graft survival, and if required should be undertaken.
