[TIPS in treatment of patients with recurrent bleeding from esophageal varices]

In the period from January 1992 to May 1997 we performed 20 procedures of percutaneous transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt (TIPS) in the patients with liver cirrhosis and recurrent variceal bleedings. This group consisted of 10 male and 10 female patients, their age ranging from 17 to 68 years (average 52). The etiology of cirrhosis was alcoholic in 8 cases, postinflammatory in 6, primary biliary in 4 and autoimmunological in 2 cases. According to Child-Pugh classification 4 patients represented group A, 10-group B and 6-group C. Each of these patient was admitted to our Department after recurrent bleeding, resistant to typical treatment: vasopressin infusion, balloon tamponade and endoscopic sclerotherapy. In 3 cases TIPS was performed in candidates for orthotopic liver transplantation.