Clinical Outcomes and Patency after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Reduction for Overshunting Adverse Events.

PURPOSE: To assess clinical outcomes and patency after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) reduction for overshunting adverse events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective observational study included 33 patients (male-to-female ratio, 20:13; mean age, 59 years; mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease [MELD] score, 15) who underwent TIPS reduction between 2007 and 2020. Procedure indications included medically refractory hepatic encephalopathy (HE) (85%), post-TIPS hepatic insufficiency (HI) (12%), and heart failure (3%). The measured outcomes included improvement in HE (classified using the West Haven system) and HI, patency of reduced TIPS, and transplant-free survival (TFS). RESULTS: TIPS reductions were successfully performed using parallel stent (94%) or other (6%) techniques at a median of 120 days after TIPS creation (HE, median, 164 days; HI, median, 5 days). The portosystemic pressure gradient increased from a mean of 10 to 17 mm Hg (P < .001). The overall HE rate after TIPS reduction was 54%; HE was persistent, improved, and resolved in 21%, 32%, and 46% cases, respectively. In patients with HI, the MELD score increased from a mean of 22 before TIPS to 34 after TIPS (P = .061), but without improvement (0%) in HI after TIPS reduction (mean MELD score, 30; P = .266). Recurrent ascites occurred in 14% of the patients. The median shunt patency was 961 days (95% confidence interval, 476-1,447). The 30-day, 6-month, 1-year, and 3-year shunt patency rates were 92%, 81%, 74%, and 37%, respectively. The median TFS was not reached. The 30-day, 6-month, 1-year, and 3-year survival rates were 97%, 90%, 81%, and 60%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although TIPS reduction may be an effective and durable approach to treat post-TIPS medically refractory HE, shunt reduction may not achieve meaningful benefit for HI.

Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation for Treatment of Gastric Varices: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To quantify the pooled clinical outcomes of stent-graft transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation for the management of gastric varices (GVs) through systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A PubMed and Embase search was performed from 2003 to 2020. Search terms included: (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt OR TIPS) AND (gastric varices OR fundal varices OR gastroesophageal varices OR gastroesophageal varices) AND (hemorrhage OR rebleeding OR rebleeding OR survival). Inclusion criteria spanned: English language studies, publication in peer reviewed journals, sample size ≥ 10, reported clinical outcome data, exclusive treatment of GVs (no esophageal varices), exclusive use of stent-grafts for TIPS, no chemical obliteration of GVs. Outcomes included GV rebleeding rate, overall rebleeding rate, GV occlusion rate, hepatic encephalopathy (HE) incidence, and adverse event (AE) rate. RESULTS: Literature search yielded 936 articles. Of these, 5 (0.5%) retrospective observational cohort studies met inclusion criteria, spanning 209 patients (quinquagenarian men with viral or alcoholic liver disease) with GVs treated using TIPS with adjunctive coil embolization (47%). Clinical follow-up time ranged from 4.3 to 30.6 months. Outcomes included a pooled GV rebleeding rate of 15% (95% CI: 11%, 20%), total rebleeding rate of 21% (95% CI: 15%, 27%), GV occlusion rate of 33% (95% CI: 22%, 45%), HE incidence of 30% (95% CI: 24%, 36%), and AE incidence of 3% (95% CI: 1%, 8%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of GV rebleeding after stent-graft TIPS is high. The results suggest the need for additional measures to reduce recurrent hemorrhage incidence from GVs.

High Incidence of Hepatic Encephalopathy After Viatorr Controlled Expansion Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation.

BACKGROUND: The Viatorr Controlled Expansion (VCX) stent-graft was designed to mitigate hepatic encephalopathy (HE) after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation. AIMS: To determine the incidence and degree of HE after VCX TIPS. METHODS: Thirty-three patients (M:F 17:16, mean age 58 years, mean MELD score 12) who underwent VCX TIPS between 2018 and 2019 were retrospectively studied. 11/33 (33%) patients had medically controlled pre-TIPS HE. TIPS indications included variceal hemorrhage (n = 12, 30%) and ascites (n = 21, 70%). Measured outcomes were post-TIPS HE (overall, recurrent, de novo) graded using the West Haven system, time-to-HE occurrence, HE-related hospitalization rate, and TIPS reduction rate. RESULTS: VCX TIPS were 8 mm in 28/33 (85%) and 10 mm in 5/33 (15%). Mean final portosystemic pressure gradient was 6 mmHg. Cumulative HE incidence post-TIPS was 61% (20/33). 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month HE rates were 24%, 30%, 53%, and 61% over 247-day median follow-up. Median time-to-HE was 180 days. HE grades spanned grade 1 (n = 6), grade 2 (n = 8), and grade 3 (n = 6); 9 and 11 cases were recurrent and de novo HE, respectively. Medication non-compliance/infection was implicated in HE in 9/20 (45%) cases. Medical therapy addressed HE in 18/20 (90%) cases; however, HE still resulted in 39 hospitalizations among 13 patients, and median time to first hospitalization was 75 days. Shunt reduction was necessary in 2 (10%) cases of medically refractory HE. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of HE after VCX TIPS is high. Though HE symptoms may be medically controlled, hospitalization rates are high, and shunt reduction may be necessary.

A New Scoring System for Prediction of Underlying Vascular Pathology in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage: The Modified Secondary Intracerebral Hemorrhage Score.

BACKGROUND: Secondary intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) score is used to predict risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) associated vascular lesions. However, it has low clinical utility in identifying patients without need for neurovascular imaging. This study aims to develop a modified scoring system to capture patients with low risk of underlying vascular pathology, thereby decreasing need for vascular imaging and its associated morbidity. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 994 patients with atraumatic ICH over 8 years was conducted, excluding known underlying pathology, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or lack of vascular imaging. Using a multivariate logistic regression model, independent predictors of vascular pathology were identified and utilized toward developing a modified Secondary Intracerebral Hemorrhage (mSICH) score. RESULTS: Of 575 patients identified, 60 (10.4%) had underlying vascular etiology. Statistically significant predictors of vascular pathology included age; female sex; admission systolic blood pressure <160 mm Hg; locations other than basal ganglia, thalamus, pons, or midbrain; presence of high-risk imaging features; and proximity to large vessel-containing cisterns. The mSICH score correlated with an increasing incidence of vascular pathology [0-1 (0%), 9 (4.3%), 12 (9.7%), 21 (40.4%), 6 (33.3%), 8 (88.9%), and 4 (100%)] and had a significantly higher number of patients receiving scores with 0% incidence of vascular lesions compared with the SICH score [159 (27.6%) versus 12 (2.1%); P < 0.001)]. CONCLUSIONS: The mSICH score can more accurately predict risk of underlying vascular pathology of ICH and identify patients with lowest risk of vascular pathology. This may minimize the cost and associated risks of invasive cerebrovascular imaging.