Percutaneous placement and management of the Denver shunt for portal hypertensive ascites

Many patients with cirrhotic effusions in the peritoneal and pleural spaces lead a difficult existence. In addition to their decreased mobility and physical discomfort, they spend hours in the hospital or an outpatient facility undergoing peritoneal and pleural drainage. Liver transplantation is the ultimate solution for those with cirrhotic effusions refractory to medical management; however, most are on a long waiting list, forcing them to undergo a year or more of percutaneous centesis. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts offer relief to those with cirrhotic ascites but at the cost of accelerated hepatic failure and hepatic encephalopathy. This article will review the development of the peritoneovenous and pleurovenous shunt, discuss reasons for its loss of favor, and suggest its current role in the armamentarium of the interventional radiologist.

Peritoneovenous and pleurovenous shunt creation is a procedure that has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of the patient by controlling the fluid collections, reducing dependence on frequent drainage procedures, improving renal function, and reducing protein loss.