Efficiency of Variceal Embolization during Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) with StainlessSteel Coil

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficiency of variceal embolization using a stainless steel coil during TIPS forrecurrent variceal bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 53 of a total of 141 patients who underwent TIPS forgastric or esophageal variceal bleeding between August 1991 and Jan 1998 we performed variceal embolization usinga stainless steel coil during the procedure. To compare embolized and non-embolized cases the cumulativerebleeding rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and statistical significance was analyzed using theLog-rank test. RESULTS: Of the 33 patients who suffered recurrent variceal bleeding, 14 had undergone varicealembolization and 19 had not. One-year, two-year and three-year rebleeding rate in embolized and non-embolizedcases were 23%/12%, 31%/25%, and 53.7%/42%, respectively. Cumulative rebleeding rates are highest within two yearsin embolized cases and highest after two years in non-embolized cases, however there is no statisticalsignificance between the two groups(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Variceal embolization with stainless steel coil duringTIPS does not effectively prevent recurrent variceal bleeding.