Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPSS) for variceal haemorrhage: initial results in 28 patients

Endoscopic sclerotherapy is an effective form of treatment of bleeding varices in patients with cirrhosis. However, the mortality in patients who rebleed is high. Recently, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPSS) has been developed as an alternative to surgical shunt formation in patients who have failed sclerotherapy.

To review the early experience with TIPSS at a teaching hospital.

Twenty-eight patients underwent TIPSS on 30 occasions between September 1991 and June 1993 for bleeding oesophageal or gastric varices. The majority had alcoholic liver disease.

TIPSS was performed successfully in all patients. Immediate control of bleeding was achieved, but one patient rebled within 24 hours. Complications related to the procedure occurred in 30%, but no patient died from these. Thirty-day mortality was 11% (three of 28), two patients dying from progressive liver failure and one from sepsis. A further three patients died from six weeks to two months following TIPSS, due to liver failure in one, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in the second and in the third after a fall. This represents an overall mortality of 21%. Three patients have rebled at mean follow-up of 11.3 months. One of these had repeat TIPSS while the other two had balloon dilatation of the stent with control of bleeding. Four patients developed mild chronic encephalopathy which was readily controlled with medical therapy.

TIPSS is an effective means for control of bleeding from oesophageal and/or gastric varices not responding to other methods. Further follow-up is required with regard to rates of rebleeding, encephalopathy and survival.