Use of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt combined with autologous bone marrow cell infusion in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis: an exploratory study

Autologous bone marrow cell transplantation in the treatment of HIV patients with compensated cirrhosis

Liver stem cell therapy is a promising tool to improve decompensated liver cirrhosis (DLC). Especially in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the condition of the liver may be aggravated by antiretroviral therapy. A total of 21 patients diagnosed with DLC and HIV infection were divided into two groups as follows: those who received (combination therapy group, 14 patients) and those who did not receive (routine therapy group, 7 patients) bone marrow cell transplantation through the portal vein. Two patients died of surgery-related complications in the combination therapy group. The results showed that the survival rate was 85.7% in the combination therapy group after 2 years of follow-up, which was significantly higher than the 14.3% in the conventional therapy group (P<0.01). After treatment, the liver function score decreased significantly in the combination therapy group at 1 (t = 4.276, P = 0.000), 3 (t = 9.153, P = 0.000), and 12 (t = 13.536, P = 0.000) months, the levels of albumin were significantly increased, and the total bilirubin level and prothrombin time were significantly reduced or shortened as compared with the routine therapy group (P<0.05 or <0.01). The white blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelet count, and CD4+ and CD8+ levels were significantly higher in the combination therapy group at different time points as compared with the routine therapy group (P<0.05 or <0.01). In summary, the combination therapy is effective in HIV-infected patients with DLC and useful for the recovery of liver function and cellular immune function but may increase the risk of severe complications after surgery.

Contrast enhanced computed tomography and reconstruction of hepatic vascular system for transjugular intrahepatic portal systemic shunt puncture path planning

AIM: To describe a method for the transjugular intrahepatic portal systemic shunt (TIPS) placement performed with the aid of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and three-dimensional reconstructed vascular images (3D RVIs), and to assess its safety and effectiveness.

METHODS: Four hundred and ninety patients were treated with TIPS between January 2005 and December 2012. All patients underwent liver CECT and reconstruction of 3D RVIs of the right hepatic vein to portal vein (PV) prior to the operation. The 3D RVIs were carefully reviewed to plan the puncture path from the start to target points for needle pass through the PV in the TIPS procedure.

RESULTS: The improved TIPS procedure was successful in 483 (98.6%) of the 490 patients. The number of punctures attempted was one in 294 (60%) patients, 2 to 3 in 147 (30%) patients, 4 to 6 in 25 (5.1%) patients and more than 6 in 17 (3.5%) patients. Seven patients failed. Of the 490 patients, 12 had punctures into the artery, 15 into the bile duct, eight into the gallbladder, and 18 through the liver capsule. Analysis of the portograms from the 483 successful cases indicated that the puncture points were all located distally to the PV bifurcation on anteroposterior images, while the points were located proximally to the bifurcation in the three cases with intraabdominal bleeding. The complications included three cases of bleeding, of whom one died and two needed surgery.

CONCLUSION: Use of CECT and 3D RVIs to plan the puncture path for TIPS procedure is safe, simple and effective for clinical use.