Coaxial Stent Graft inside a Constraining Stent for Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Reduction

Abstract

A technique to create a coaxial, self-expanding stent graft inside a constraining, bare-metal, balloon-expandable stent for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) reduction is described. The key steps are performed on a back table rather than inside the patient, and the resulting construct is deployed using standard unsheathing maneuvers. The construct was used in 4 patients to make 6 TIPS diameter reductions (mean postreduction diameter, 6 mm; range, 0–8 mm), all resulting in increases in the portosystemic pressure gradient (mean increase, 6 mm Hg; range, 1–19 mm Hg). On average, hepatic encephalopathy improved 1 point on the West Haven scale (range, 0–2).