Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt

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Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
Fluoroscopic image of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in progress.jpg
Fluoroscopic image of TIPS in progress. A catheter has been passed into the hepatic vein and after needle puncture, a guidewire was passed into a portal vein branch. The tract was dilated with a balloon, and contrast injected. A self-expandable metallic stent has yet to be placed over the wire.
Other namesTransjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunting
Specialty Interventional radiology
ICD-9-CM 39.1
MeSH D019168

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS or TIPSS) is an artificial channel within the liver that establishes communication between the inflow portal vein and the outflow hepatic vein. It is used to treat portal hypertension (which is often due to liver cirrhosis) which frequently leads to intestinal bleeding, life-threatening esophageal bleeding (esophageal varices) and the buildup of fluid within the abdomen (ascites).

Contents

An interventional radiologist creates the shunt using an image-guided endovascular (via the blood vessels) approach, with the jugular vein as the usual entry site.

The procedure was first described by Josef Rösch in 1969 at Oregon Health and Science University. It was first used in a human patient by Dr. Ronald Colapinto, of the University of Toronto, in 1982, but did not become reproducibly successful until the development of endovascular stents in 1985. In 1988 the first successful TIPS was realized by M. Rössle, G.M. Richter, G. Nöldge and J. Palmaz at the University of Freiburg. [1] The procedure has since become widely accepted as the preferred method for treating portal hypertension that is refractory to medical therapy, replacing the surgical portocaval shunt in that role.

Medical uses

TIPS is a life-saving procedure in bleeding from esophageal or gastric varices. A randomized study showed that the survival is better if the procedure is done within 72 hours after bleeding. [2] TIPS has shown some promise for people with hepatorenal syndrome. [3] It may also help with ascites. [4]

Complications

Severe procedural complications during a TIPS procedure, including catastrophic bleeding or direct liver injury, are relatively uncommon. In the hands of an experienced physician, operative mortality is less than 1%[ medical citation needed ]. On the other hand, up to 25% of patients who undergo TIPS will experience transient post-operative hepatic encephalopathy caused by increased porto-systemic passage of nitrogen from the gut. [5]

A less common, but more serious complication, is hepatic ischemia causing acute liver failure. While healthy livers are predominantly oxygenated by portal blood supply, long-standing portal hypertension results in compensatory hypertrophy of and increased reliance on the hepatic artery for oxygenation. Thus, in people with advanced liver disease the shunting of portal blood away from hepatocytes is usually well tolerated. However, in some cases suddenly shunting portal blood flow away from the liver may result in acute liver failure secondary to hepatic ischemia. [6] Acute hepatic dysfunction after TIPS may require emergent closure of the shunt.[ citation needed ]

A rare but serious complication is persistent TIPS infection, also known as endotipsitis. [7]

Lastly, the TIPS may become blocked by a blood clot or in-growth of endothelial cells and no longer function. This has been significantly reduced with the use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)–covered stents. [8]

Mechanism of action

Portal hypertension, an important consequence of liver disease, results in the development of significant collateral circulation between the portal system and systemic venous drainage (porto-caval circulation). Portal venous congestion causes venous blood leaving the stomach and intestines to be diverted along auxiliary routes of lesser resistance in order to drain to systemic circulation. With time, the small vessels that comprise a collateral path for porto-caval circulation become engorged and dilated. These vessels are fragile and often hemorrhage into the GI tract. (See esophageal, gastric, rectal varices ).[ citation needed ]

A TIPS procedure decreases the effective vascular resistance of the liver through the creation of an alternative pathway for portal venous circulation. By creating a shunt from the portal vein to the hepatic vein, this intervention allows portal blood an alternative avenue for draining into systemic circulation. In bypassing the flow-resistant liver, the net result is a reduced pressure drop across the liver and a decreased portal venous pressure. Decreased portal venous pressure in turn lessens congestive pressures along veins in the intestine so that future bleeding is less likely to occur. The reduced pressure also makes less fluid develop, although this benefit may take weeks or months to occur.[ citation needed ]

Implantation

Steps in a TIPS procedure: A) portal hypertension has caused the coronary vein (arrow) and the umbilical vein (arrowhead) to dilate and flow in reverse. This leads to varices in the esophagus and stomach, which can bleed; B) a needle has been introduced (via the jugular vein) and is passing from the hepatic vein into the portal vein; c) the tract is dilated with a balloon; D) after placement of a stent, portal pressure is normalized and the coronary and umbilical veins no longer fill. Tips schematic.JPG
Steps in a TIPS procedure: A) portal hypertension has caused the coronary vein (arrow) and the umbilical vein (arrowhead) to dilate and flow in reverse. This leads to varices in the esophagus and stomach, which can bleed; B) a needle has been introduced (via the jugular vein) and is passing from the hepatic vein into the portal vein; c) the tract is dilated with a balloon; D) after placement of a stent, portal pressure is normalized and the coronary and umbilical veins no longer fill.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts are typically placed by an interventional radiologist under fluoroscopic guidance. [9] Access to the liver is gained, as the name 'transjugular' suggests, via the internal jugular vein in the neck. Once access to the jugular vein is confirmed, a guidewire and introducer sheath are typically placed to facilitate the shunt's placement. This enables the interventional radiologist to gain access to the patient's hepatic vein by traveling from the superior vena cava into the inferior vena cava and finally the hepatic vein. Once the catheter is in the hepatic vein, a wedge pressure is obtained to calculate the pressure gradient in the liver. Following this, carbon dioxide is injected to locate the portal vein. Then, a special needle known as a Colapinto is advanced through the liver parenchyma to connect the hepatic vein to the large portal vein, near the center of the liver. The channel for the shunt is next created by inflating an angioplasty balloon within the liver along the tract created by the needle. The shunt is completed by placing a special mesh tube known as a stent or endograft to maintain the tract between the higher-pressure portal vein and the lower-pressure hepatic vein. After the procedure, fluoroscopic images are made to show placement. Pressure in the portal vein and inferior vena cava are often measured.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ascites</span> Abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdomen

Ascites is the abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdomen. Technically, it is more than 25 ml of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, although volumes greater than one liter may occur. Symptoms may include increased abdominal size, increased weight, abdominal discomfort, and shortness of breath. Complications can include spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shunt (medical)</span> Hole or passage within the human body that allows fluids to move throughout it

In medicine, a shunt is a hole or a small passage that moves, or allows movement of, fluid from one part of the body to another. The term may describe either congenital or acquired shunts; acquired shunts may be either biological or mechanical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portal vein</span> Short thick vein formed by the union of the superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein

The portal vein or hepatic portal vein (HPV) is a blood vessel that carries blood from the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen to the liver. This blood contains nutrients and toxins extracted from digested contents. Approximately 75% of total liver blood flow is through the portal vein, with the remainder coming from the hepatic artery proper. The blood leaves the liver to the heart in the hepatic veins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Budd–Chiari syndrome</span> Medical condition

Budd–Chiari syndrome is a very rare condition, affecting one in a million adults. The condition is caused by occlusion of the hepatic veins that drain the liver. The symptoms are non-specific and vary widely, but it may present with the classical triad of abdominal pain, ascites, and liver enlargement. It is usually seen in younger adults, with the median age at diagnosis between the ages of 35 and 40, and it has a similar incidence in males and females. The syndrome can be fulminant, acute, chronic, or asymptomatic. Subacute presentation is the most common form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esophageal varices</span> Medical condition

Esophageal varices are extremely dilated sub-mucosal veins in the lower third of the esophagus. They are most often a consequence of portal hypertension, commonly due to cirrhosis. People with esophageal varices have a strong tendency to develop severe bleeding which left untreated can be fatal. Esophageal varices are typically diagnosed through an esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portal hypertension</span> Abnormally increased portal venous pressure

Portal hypertension is defined as increased portal venous pressure, with a hepatic venous pressure gradient greater than 5 mmHg. Normal portal pressure is 1-4mmHg; clinically insignificant portal hypertension is present at portal pressures 5-9mmHg; clinically significant portal hypertension is present at portal pressures greater than 10mmHg. The portal vein and its branches supply most of the blood and nutrients from the intestine to the liver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gastric varices</span> Medical condition

Gastric varices are dilated submucosal veins in the lining of the stomach, which can be a life-threatening cause of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. They are most commonly found in patients with portal hypertension, or elevated pressure in the portal vein system, which may be a complication of cirrhosis. Gastric varices may also be found in patients with thrombosis of the splenic vein, into which the short gastric veins that drain the fundus of the stomach flow. The latter may be a complication of acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, or other abdominal tumours, as well as hepatitis C. Gastric varices and associated bleeding are a potential complication of schistosomiasis resulting from portal hypertension.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hepatic encephalopathy</span> Brain disease resulting from liver failure

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is an altered level of consciousness as a result of liver failure. Its onset may be gradual or sudden. Other symptoms may include movement problems, changes in mood, or changes in personality. In the advanced stages it can result in a coma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portal vein thrombosis</span> Disease of the liver

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a vascular disease of the liver that occurs when a blood clot occurs in the hepatic portal vein, which can lead to increased pressure in the portal vein system and reduced blood supply to the liver. The mortality rate is approximately 1 in 10.

A portosystemic shunt or portasystemic shunt, also known as a liver shunt, is a bypass of the liver by the body's circulatory system. It can be either a congenital or acquired condition and occurs in humans as well as in other species of animals. Congenital PSS are extremely rare in humans but are relatively common in dogs. Improvements in imaging and awareness have contributed to an increase in cases.Thus a large part of medical and scientific literature on the subject is grounded in veterinary medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distal splenorenal shunt procedure</span> Medical procedure

In medicine, a distal splenorenal shunt procedure (DSRS), also splenorenal shunt procedure and Warren shunt, is a surgical procedure in which the distal splenic vein is attached to the left renal vein. It is used to treat portal hypertension and its main complication. It was developed by W. Dean Warren.

A peritoneovenous shunt is a shunt which drains peritoneal fluid from the peritoneum into veins, usually the internal jugular vein or the superior vena cava. It is sometimes used in patients with refractory ascites.

A portacaval anastomosis or portocaval anastomosis is a specific type of circulatory anastomosis that occurs between the veins of the portal circulation and the vena cava, thus forming one of the principal types of portasystemic anastomosis or portosystemic anastomosis, as it connects the portal circulation to the systemic circulation, providing an alternative pathway for the blood. When there is a blockage of the portal system, portocaval anastomosis enables the blood to still reach the systemic venous circulation. The inferior end of the esophagus and the superior part of the rectum are potential sites of a harmful portocaval anastomosis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portal hypertensive gastropathy</span> Changes in the mucosa of the stomach in patients with portal hypertension

Portal hypertensive gastropathy refers to changes in the mucosa of the stomach in patients with portal hypertension; by far the most common cause of this is cirrhosis of the liver. These changes in the mucosa include friability of the mucosa and the presence of ectatic blood vessels at the surface. Patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy may experience bleeding from the stomach, which may uncommonly manifest itself in vomiting blood or melena; however, portal hypertension may cause several other more common sources of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, such as esophageal varices and gastric varices. On endoscopic evaluation of the stomach, this condition shows a characteristic mosaic or "snake-skin" appearance to the mucosa of the stomach.

Portal venous pressure is the blood pressure in the hepatic portal vein, and is normally between 5-10 mmHg. Raised portal venous pressure is termed portal hypertension, and has numerous sequelae such as ascites and hepatic encephalopathy.

Anorectal varices are the dilation of collateral submucosal vessels due to backflow in the veins of the rectum. Typically this occurs due to portal hypertension which shunts venous blood from the portal system through the portosystemic anastomosis present at this site into the systemic venous system. This can also occur in the esophagus, causing esophageal varices, and at the level of the umbilicus, causing caput medusae. Between 44% and 78% of patients with portal hypertension get anorectal varices.

The Sugiura procedure is a surgical technique that involves the removal and transection of the blood vessels that supply the upper portion of the stomach and the esophagus. The procedure also involves a splenectomy. The operation was originally developed to treat bleeding esophageal varices that were untreatable by other conventional methods. It was originally developed as a two-step operation, but has been modified numerous times by many surgeons since its original creation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hepatic hydrothorax</span> Medical condition

Hepatic hydrothorax is a rare form of pleural effusion that occurs in people with liver cirrhosis. It is defined as an effusion of over 500 mL in people with liver cirrhosis that is not caused by heart, lung, or pleural disease. It is found in 5-10% of people with liver cirrhosis and 2-3% of people with pleural effusions. It is much more common on the right side, with 85% of cases occurring on the right, 13% on the left, and 2% on both. Although it is most common in people with severe ascites, people with mild or no ascites have had the condition. Symptoms are not specific and mostly involve the respiratory system.

Congenital portosystemic shunts (PSS) is a hereditary condition in dogs and cats, its frequency varying depending on the breed. The shunts found mainly in small dog breeds such as Shih Tzus, Tibetan Spaniels, Miniature Schnauzers and Yorkshire Terriers, and in cats such as Persians, British Shorthairs, Himalayans, and mixed breeds are usually extrahepatic, while the shunts found in large dog breeds such as Irish Wolfhounds and Labrador Retrievers tend to be intrahepatic.

Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) is an endovascular procedure used for the treatment of gastric varices. When performing the procedure, an interventional radiologist accesses blood vessels using a catheter, inflates a balloon and injects a substance into the variceal blood vessels that causes blockage of those vessels. To prevent the flow of the agent out of the intended site, a balloon is inflated during the procedure, which occludes.

References

  1. ↑ Rössle M, Richter GM, Nöldge G, Palmaz JC, Wenz W, Gerok W (1989). "New non-operative treatment for variceal haemorrhage". Lancet. 2 (8655): 153. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(89)90201-8. PMID   2567908. S2CID   32164746.
  2. ↑ García-Pagán, Juan Carlos; Caca, Karel; Bureau, Christophe; Laleman, Wim; Appenrodt, Beate; Luca, Angelo; Abraldes, Juan G.; Nevens, Frederik; Vinel, Jean Pierre (June 2010). "Early use of TIPS in patients with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding" (PDF). The New England Journal of Medicine. 362 (25): 2370–2379. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0910102. hdl: 2445/47046 . ISSN   1533-4406. PMID   20573925.
  3. ↑ Guevara M, Rodés J (2005). "Hepatorenal syndrome". Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. 37 (1): 22–6. doi:10.1016/j.biocel.2004.06.007. PMID   15381144.
  4. ↑ "Ascites - Hepatic and Biliary Disorders". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. May 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  5. ↑ Rossle M, Piotraschke J. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and hepatic encephalopathy. Dig Dis 1996; 14:12–19.
  6. ↑ Mayan H, Kantor R, Rimon U, Golubev N, Heyman Z, Goshen E, Shalmon B, Weiss P.: "Fatal liver infarction after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure." Liver, 2001;21(5):361-4.
  7. ↑ Mizrahi, Meir; Adar, Tomer; Shouval, Daniel; Bloom, Allan I.; Shibolet, Oren (February 2010). "Endotipsitis-persistent infection of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: pathogenesis, clinical features and management". Liver International. 30 (2): 175–183. doi: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2009.02158.x . ISSN   1478-3231. PMID   19929905.
  8. ↑ Rössle, Martin (November 2013). "TIPS: 25 years later". Journal of Hepatology. 59 (5): 1081–1093. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2013.06.014. ISSN   1600-0641. PMID   23811307.
  9. ↑ "What You Need to Know about the Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)". Cleveland Clinic.
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