Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt migration in patients undergoing liver transplantation

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a useful procedure for patients with variceal bleeding and refractory ascites. Migration of TIPS can potentially complicate the subsequent transplant procedure. The aim of this study was to compare survival, operating time, and blood transfusion requirements in patients with migrated and nonmigrated TIPS undergoing liver transplantation. Of 152 patients, 21 received TIPS; stent migration was noted in seven patients-six distally and one proximally. Mean age of the patients was 54 +/- 11 years (range, 27-65 years), and there were 12 men and 9 women. The etiology of liver disease included the following: hepatitis C virus, six patients; cryptogenic cirrhosis, seven patients; alcoholic cirrhosis, four patients; primary biliary cirrhosis, three patients; and autoimmune hepatitis, one patient. The mean Child-Pugh-Turcotte score was 10 +/- 2. Mean length of hospital stay for patients with migrated TIPS was 22.2 days and for nonmigrated TIPS was 23.5 days. Patient and graft survival (actual) was 81% in both groups with a mean follow-up of 27.9 months. Migration of TIPS is not rare, and in our study it did not affect survival, length of surgery, or blood transfusion requirements compared with patients in whom TIPS had not migrated.