Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus
Published on: October 14, 2022
Single-center experience of interventional therapy for congenital portal-systemic shunt in children
Xiangfeng Guo1, Qi Di1, Gang Shen1
1Vascular Anomalies and Vascular Interventional Center, Capital Center for Children's Health, Capital Medical University, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
Insights
Interventional therapy for congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS) in children is safe and effective, showing significant short-term benefits. This approach offers a promising first-line treatment option for pediatric CPSS patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Interventional Radiology
- Vascular Surgery
- Hepatology
Background:
- Congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS) is a rare vascular anomaly requiring effective treatment strategies.
- Interventional therapy offers a less invasive approach compared to traditional surgical methods for CPSS.
- Understanding the safety and efficacy across different CPSS subtypes is crucial for clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and short-term efficacy of interventional therapy for pediatric congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS).
- To provide empirical data from a single center to guide clinical practice for CPSS treatment.
- To analyze outcomes based on different anatomical subtypes of CPSS.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 26 pediatric patients with CPSS treated between January 2022 and August 2025.
- Categorization into intrahepatic portal-systemic shunt (18 cases) and Abernethy malformation (8 cases) groups.
- Utilized coil embolization and Amplatzer occluder embolization, with 1-12 months follow-up.
Main Results:
- Overall technical success rate was 73% (19/26), with higher rates for intrahepatic shunts (94.4%) versus Abernethy malformations (25%).
- A low incidence of mild complications (3.8%) was observed, with no severe adverse events.
- Successful treatments showed significant improvements: 63% liver function normalization, 73.7% bile acid improvement, and 100% blood ammonia normalization.
Conclusions:
- Individualized interventional embolization is safe and effective for pediatric CPSS.
- The strategy demonstrates definite short-term efficacy across different anatomical subtypes.
- Interventional therapy can be considered a first-line treatment for children with CPSS.
Objective:
To investigate the safety and short-term efficacy of interventional therapy for congenital portosystemic shunt (CPSS) in children, and to provide single-center small-sample empirical data for clinical practice.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 26 children with CPSS who underwent interventional therapy at Capital Center for Children's Health, Capital Medical University from January 2022 to August 2025. Based on anatomical subtypes, they were categorized into the intrahepatic portal-systemic shunt group (18 cases) and the Abernethy malformation group (8 cases). Techniques such as coil embolization and Amplatzer occluder embolization were employed. Postoperative follow-up was performed for 1-12 months to evaluate technical success rates, complication rates, and improvements in liver function and blood ammonia levels.
Results:
The success rate of interventional therapy in 26 pediatric patients was 73% (19/26). Among them, the technical success rate in the intrahepatic portal-systemic shunt group was 94.4% (17/18), while the Abernethy malformation technique achieved a success rate of 25% (2/8). The incidence of mild complications within 1 month postoperatively was 3.8% (1/26), including 1 case of puncture site hematoma, with no severe complications reported. Among the successfully treated patients, the normalization rate of postoperative liver function parameters [Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)] was 63% (12/19), the improvement rate of bile acids was 73.7% (14/19), and the improvement rate of blood ammonia was 100% (19/19).
Conclusion:
The individualized interventional embolization strategy for children with different anatomical subtypes of CPSS is safe and effective, with definite short-term efficacy, and can be used as the first-line treatment for CPSS children.
