Is the tantalum Strecker stent suitable for TIPS creation? Short- and mid-term results in 20 consecutive patients

To assess the suitability of tantalum Strecker stents for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation.

TIPS was performed with Strecker balloon-expandable stents in the first 20 patients of our series. A total of 26 prostheses were utilized (average 1.3 per patient).

Immediate technical success was achieved in all 20 cases. Nine patients (45%) died during follow-up. The overall average follow-up period was 18.9 months; the 11 survivors were followed for a mean period of 29.8 months. In 4 patients (20%) the stent dislodged towards the hepatic vein during withdrawal of the balloon catheter, and difficulties in recatheterizing the shunt for routine control portal phlebography were frequently encountered. Rebleeding occurred in 5 cases and aggravation of pre-existing encephalopathy occurred in 2 cases. Shunt occlusions or stenosis required further intervention in 4 and 9 patients, respectively.

In our opinion the tantalum Strecker stent is not particularly suitable for TIPS. Although it has evident advantages, such as high radiopacity and minimal shortening after deployment, the tendency of the device to dislodge and the difficulty in recatheterization during portal phlebography were important drawbacks. Furthermore, the atraumatic ends of the device did not seem to reduce shunt-related complications, which were comparable to those occurring with other types of stent.