Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in the treatment of symptomatic portal hypertension

Sammanfattning: Portal hypertension (PHT) is a condition with serious complications, such as variceal bleeding, refractory ascites and bowel ischemia. The cause of PHT may be pre-, intra- or post-hepatic. Initial treatment is pressure-reducing drugs and the treatment of acute symptoms.Ten patients presented with severe abdominal pain and acute portomesenteric venous thrombosis. Their response to systemic anticoagulation was insufficient. Treatment with primary continuous thrombolysis by a transhepatic or transjugular approach in four patients resulted in major complications, incomplete recanalization and a 75% survival rate. Treatment with repeated transjugular thrombectomy (TT) combined with the creation of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) achieved near complete recanalization, prompt symptom relief and 100% survival in five patients treated with this method as the primary intervention. In one patient, treated with TT and TIPS secondary to surgical thrombectomy and bowel resection, the outcome was fatal.Nineteen patients with portal vein thrombosis presented with acute or threatening variceal bleeding or refractory ascites. TIPS was feasible in 16 of the 18 patients in whom it was attempted and symptom relief was achieved in the majority of them.In 14 patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome, 13 patients were treated with TIPS, four of them after previous liver vein angioplasty. The 5-year transplantation-free survival rate was 100% in patients treated with primary TIPS.In 131 patients with variceal bleeding treated with TIPS, the survival at 12 months in patients with and without cirrhosis was 70% and 100% respectively and in accordance with previous studies. A high Child-Pugh score prior to TIPS and severe HE within 12 months after TIPS was related to an increased mortality. The occurrence of HE after TIPS did not correlate with the PSG after TIPS. Re-bleeding within 12 months after TIPS occurred in 10 patients and was associated with TIPS dysfunction.In conclusion, endovascular intervention, mainly TIPS, seems to be safe and effective for treating patients with complications of PHT, regardless of the underlying cause of disease and site of venous blood flow obstruction. HE may occur more frequently after TIPS than medical and endoscopic treatment, but is often mild and easily treated. In selected patients with PHT, TIPS may improve survival.