A new coaxial needle system, hepatic artery targeting wire, and biplane fluoroscopy to increase safety and efficacy of TIPS

Use of an Intrahepatic Arterial Targeting Wire for Guiding Portal Vein Puncture During TIPS Creation in Patients With Obliterative Portal Vein Thrombosis

Obtaining portal vein access is a challenging step in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation, particularly in patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT). We report the use of an intrahepatic arterial targeting wire (IATW) to provide a target for portal vein puncture in 20 patients with cirrhosis and complete obliterative PVT who underwent TIPS placement. Technical success rate of TIPS was 90% (18/20). The median number of punctures was 3. No severe complication occurred.

Intrahepatic arterial localizer guided transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement: Feasibility, efficacy, and technical success assessed by a case series-a STROBE- compliant article

Transjugular intra-hepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) had been considered a standard procedure in patients suffering from portal hypertension. The most challenging step in TIPS placement is blind puncture of the portal vein. We had established a localization method by introducing an Intra-Hepatic Arterial based puncture directing Localizer (IHAL) with the assistance of the enhanced computed tomography (CT) reconstruction. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and technical success of this method.From June 2018 to August 2018, 10 consecutive patients suffering from refractory ascites or esophageal gastric bleeding by liver cirrhosis were included in this retrospective study to evaluate feasibility, efficacy, and technical success of enhanced CT assisted IHAL-guided puncture of the portal vein. As a control, 10 patients receiving TIPS placement before Jun 2018 with cone beam CT (CBCT)-guided puncture were included to compare the reduction of portal-systemic pressure gradient (PSPG), portal entry time (PET), the number of puncture, dose area product (DAP) and contrast medium consumption.Technical success was 100% in the study group (IHAL-guided group) and in 90.0% of the control group (CBCT-guided group). Appropriate IHAL point could be achieved in all patients under the enhanced CT reconstruction assistance. The median number of punctures and DAP in IHAL group were significantly less than those in CBCT group. The reduction of PSPG, PET, and contrast medium consumption in IHAL group showed no significant differences than those in CBCT group.Enhanced CT reconstruction assisted IHAL-guided portal vein puncture is technically feasible and a reliable tool for TIPS placement resulting in a significant reduction of the number of punctures and DAP.

TIPS performed in a patient with complete portal vein thrombosis

Portal vein thrombosis is common in cirrhotic patients and results in increased morbidity and mortality. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation is a well-established therapy for refractory variceal bleeding and refractory ascites in patients who do not tolerate repeated large volume paracentesis. Experience and technical improvements have led to improved TIPS outcomes that have encouraged an expanded application. Complete portal vein thrombosis has come a long way from being a contraindication to an indication for TIPS procedure. As experience and technology have evolved, the ultrasound guidance transvenous access of portal vein from the hepatic vein help in overall higher success rate of performing the TIPS procedure and reducing the procedure-related complications.

Novel Image Guidance Techniques for Portal Vein Targeting During Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation

The most challenging part of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation is arguably the transvenous access from the hepatic vein to the portal vein. As experience and technology have evolved, the image guidance aspect of this critical step in the procedure has become more robust. Improved means to target the portal vein include both direct and indirect methods of portal vein opacification, cross-sectional imaging for both targeting and access, and novel use of transabdominal and intravascular ultrasound guidance. These techniques are described herein.

Non-cavernomatous superior mesenteric thrombosis successfully recanalized with interventional radiological procedures carried out with a combination transmesenteric and transjugular approaches

This is the study of a 52-year-old man with oesophageal, rectal and anal varices caused by portal hypertension with complete obstruction of the superior mesenteric vein. Treatment by two sessions of interventional radiological procedures was successful. The first was a catheter-directed thrombolysis using the transmesenteric approach. The second was percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent implantation for the obstructed segment of the superior mesenteric vein and the creation of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. In the second session, devices were advanced over a guidewire inserted from the right jugular vein and pulled out of the ileocolic vein using the pull-through technique.

Percutaneous cholecystocholedochostomy for cholecystitis and cystic duct obstruction in gallbladder carcinoma

Percutaneous cholecystocholedochostomy was performed in a patient with acute cholecystitis caused by cystic duct obstruction by gallbladder carcinoma, but removal of the percutaneous cholecystostomy catheter was unsuccessful because of continuing discharge. After creation of a cholecystocholedochostomy through the cholecystostomy tract with use of a transjugular liver access set and a 21-gauge needle, self-expandable metallic stents were placed in the narrowed common bile duct and the newly created tract between the gallbladder and the common hepatic duct. The external cholecystostomy catheter was successfully removed after the procedure. Jaundice occurred 70 days later as a result of tumor invasion above the segment with the stent, and an additional stent was placed. The patient died of diffuse metastasis 143 days after creation of the cholecystocholedochostomy without recurrence of cholecystitis.

The first decade of the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS): state of the art

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an interventional treatment resulting in decompression of the portal system by creation of a side-to-side portosystemic anastomosis. Since its introduction 10 years ago, more than 500 publications have appeared demonstrating rapid acceptance and increasing clinical use. This review summarizes the present knowledge of technical aspects and complications, follow-up of patients, and indications. With respect to the technique, the TIPS procedure is probably one of the most difficult interventions and, therefore, technical success and complications clearly depend on the skills of the operator. Thus, the number and kind of complications reported in this review do not necessarily relate to the procedural complications of an experienced center. The follow-up of the TIPS patient has to assess shunt patency, liver function and hepatic encephalopathy. Shunt patency can best be monitored by duplex-sonography. Routine radiological revision seems not to be helpful and does not improve results, i.e., rebleeding and survival. Short term patency may be improved by anticoagulation, while such a treatment does not influence long-term patency. With respect to the indications of TIPS, much is known about treatment of variceal bleeding. The nine randomized studies that are available to date show that survival is comparable between patients receiving TIPS or endoscopic treatment. The second group of patients is the group with refractory ascites and related complications, such as hepatorenal syndrome and hepatic hydrothorax. It has been demonstrated that TIPS improves these complications, but randomized studies are still lacking. In addition, TIPS has been applied successfully to patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome, portal vein thrombosis, before liver transplantation, and for the treatment of ectopic portal hypertensive bleeding.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt after previous recanalization of a chronically thrombosed portal vein via a transmesenteric approach

We report a cirrhotic patient with complete occlusion of the portal vein with marked cavernous transformation due to chronic thrombosis in whom a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) was successfully created after direct minilaparotomy mesenteric vein catheterization, lysis and aspiration of the thrombus, and stenting in the portal vein. The methods used, we believe, provide a new technique for performing TIPS in chronically thrombosed portal veins in which previously no effective surgical therapeutic options were available.