Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt in Patients Who Have Undergone Liver Transplantation

Abstract

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement is an accepted treatment for refractory variceal bleeding and/or ascites in end-stage liver disease and is an effective bridge to liver transplantation. The authors present their experience with TIPS in patients with a liver transplant, who subsequently developed portal hypertension. Thirteen TIPS were placed in 12 adult patients from 6 months to 13 years after liver transplantation for variceal bleeding that failed endoscopic treatment (n = 6) and intractable ascites (n = 6). All patients were followed to either time of retransplantation or death. No technical difficulties were encountered in TIPS placement in any of the patients. Four of six patients treated for bleeding stopped bleeding and did not experience re-bleeding, two had functional TIPS at 3 and 36 months and two underwent retransplantation at 3 and 7 months. Two patients had recurrent bleeding within 1 week and required reintervention. In the ascites group, one is 32 months since TIPS placement with control of his ascites, two patients underwent retransplantation at 2 and 6 weeks with interval improvement in ascites. Two patients died within a week of TIPS of fulminant hepatic failure. The last patient died 1 month after TIPS subsequent to a splenectomy. In conclusion, the placement of a TIPS in a transplanted liver, in general, requires no special technical considerations compared to placement in native livers. Although this series is small, the authors believe that TIPS should be considered a treatment option in liver transplant recipients who present with refractory variceal bleeding. TIPS may have a role in the management of intractable ascites.