Original Study: Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt as a Bridge to Abdominal Surgery in Cirrhotic Patients.

BACKGROUND: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been suggested to reduce portal hypertension-associated complications in cirrhotic patients undergoing abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to compare postoperative outcome in cirrhotic patients with and without specific preoperative TIPS placement, following elective extrahepatic abdominal surgery. METHODS: Patients were retrospectively included from 2005 to 2016 in four centers. Patients who underwent preoperative TIPS (n = 66) were compared to cirrhotic control patients without TIPS (n = 68). Postoperative outcome was analyzed using propensity score with inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis. RESULTS: Overall, colorectal surgery accounted for 54% of all surgical procedure. TIPS patients had a higher initial Child-Pugh score (6[5-12] vs. 6[5-9], p = 0.043) and received more beta-blockers (65% vs. 22%, p < 0.001). In TIPS group, 56 (85%) patients managed to undergo planned surgery. Preoperative TIPS was associated with less postoperative ascites (hazard ratio = 0.330 [0.140-0.780]). Severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo > 2) and 90-day mortality were similar between TIPS and no-TIPS groups (18% vs. 23%, p = 0.392, and 7.5% vs. 7.8%, p = 0.644, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative TIPS placement yielded an 85% operability rate with satisfying postoperative outcomes. No significant differences were found between TIPS and no-TIPS groups in terms of severe postoperative complications and mortality, although TIPS patients probably had worse initial portal hypertension.

Short- and long-term evolution of the endoluminal diameter of underdilated stents in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term evolution of endoluminal diameter of covered metallic stents that were underdilated at the time of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation. MATERIEL AND METHODS: Sixteen patients (13 men, 3 women) with a mean age of 57.6years±7.9 (SD) were retrospectively included. All patients had had TIPS creation using a 10-mm diameter covered stent (VIATORR®) that was underdilated (i.e., 8mm) at the time of stent placement. Measurements of the mean circulating diameter of the stents were retrospectively performed on angiographic examinations every 6months up to 2years. RESULTS: The endoluminal stent diameter early enlarged from 8.96mm±1.12 (SD) to 10mm±1.45 (SD) after 6months (P=0.04) with no further significant changes over time after 12months (10.28mm±1.9mm), 18months (9.93±1.51mm) and 24months (9.92±0.9mm). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate a passive expansion of initially underdilated covered stents during the six months following TIPS creation. This should be taken into account regarding hepatic encephalopathy prevention during TIPS placement.

[Portal hypertension and pregnancy]. / Grossesse et hypertension portale.

Pregnancy in patients with portal hypertension is rare but worrying for the clinician. Although the effects of portal hypertension during pregnancy have not been fully elucidated, there is an evident increase in morbidity, especially associated with cirrhosis, which justifies the idea of at-risk pregnancy and requires management by a multidisciplinary team. The prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal haemorrhage is quite similar to that in nonpregnant patients. Investigation and management of portal hypertension before and at the beginning of pregnancy can reduce the risks of foetal loss, restricted intra-uterine growth, premature birth and maternal mortality, which are closely related to gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The risks related to the underlying disease, such as liver failure with cirrhosis and thromboembolic risk with vascular diseases associated with thrombophilia must be taken into consideration. Generally, vaginal delivery with early analgesics for the mother assisted by an extraction device should be preferred to caesarean section, which must be reserved for obstetrical indications.

Garlic, onion and cereal fibre as protective factors for breast cancer: a French case-control study.

The role of diet on breast cancer risk was investigated in a case-control study of 345 patients diagnosed with primary breast carcinoma between 1986 and 1989 in the north-east of France (Lorraine). For each case, one control was matched for age (+/-3 years) and socio-economic status. The dietary history questionnaire consisted of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire, a 6-day food diary and an energy expenditure record. It also elicited personal characteristics and medical history. While taking into account total caloric intake and established risk factors, breast cancer risk was shown to decrease as consumption of fibre (p value for trend = 0.03), and garlic and onions (p value for trend <10(-6)) increased. This study also supports the epidemiologic evidence that saturated fat intake and breast cancer risk are associated in post-menopausal women (p value for trend = 0.03). Conversely, it suggests that unsaturated fat intake could lower the risk in the same subgroup (p value for trend = 0.03). Our findings on protective factors of breast cancer could induce effective preventive measures and warrant further experimental investigations to isolate specific subfractions.

Alcoholic calories, red wine consumption and breast cancer among premenopausal women.

The role of alcohol consumption (alcoholic calories, alcoholic beverages) on breast cancer risk was investigated in a case-control study of 154 premenopausal female patients diagnosed with primary breast carcinoma. For each case, one control was matched for age (+/- 3 years) and socio-economic status. The survey was carried out in Northeastern France (Lorraine) between 1986 and 1989. While taking into account total caloric intakes and various breast cancer factors, breast cancer risk was shown to increase as consumption of alcohol increased (p value for trend = 0.007). A significant relative risk (RR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.40-5.17) was shown above 60 kcal per day (approximately 9 g of alcohol per day). Breast cancer risk appeared to be restricted to red wine consumption among these premenopausal women, for monthly consumption (p value for trend = 0.003) as well as for duration of consumption (p value for trend = 0.01). A relative risk of 3.96 (95% CI: 1.59-9.84) was found for a monthly consumption higher than 4 liters per month. This reinforces the notion of a particular sensitivity of young women to breast cancer in relation to alcohol consumption.

[Digestive involvement in dystrophic bullous epidermolysis. Presentation of 2 cases and review of the literature]. / Atteinte digestive au cours de l'épidermolyse bulleuse dystrophique. Présentation de deux cas et revue de la littérature.

Congenital epidermolysis bullosa is an inherited disorder characterized by an anomaly of joint structures between epidermis and dermis. This anomaly involves different malpighian epithelium and particularly in the digestive chorioepithelial junction. Digestive and oropharyngeal manifestations include bullae, erosions and ulcerations that heal by fibrosis, leading to retraction and stenosis. We report two cases of esophageal stenosis, the first one in a young patient with a congenital epidermolysis bullosa of Hallopeau-Siemens and the second one, in a young woman with a Pasini variant. In the first case, the esophageal stenosis was treated by careful dilation. In the second case, the endoscopy induced hemorragic bullae and septicemia, which were treated with antibiotics and total parenteral nutrition.

[Intrahepatic portasystemic shunt and hemorrhagic emergencies in the cirrhotic patient]. / Shunt intrahépatique porto-systémique (SIPS) et urgences hémorragiques du cirrhotique.

From March 1992 to March 1994, 26 patients underwent Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) for emergency treatment of variceal bleeding. Patients were all cirrhotic, with a mean age 55 +/- 13 yrs, Child's score was A = 4, B = 10, C = 12. TIPS was performed in case of failure or impossibility to obtain hemostasis after endoscopic and/or medical treatment. Hemostasis was successful in all cases of TIPS, and the portocaval gradient was lowered from 19 to 9 mmHg. Early complications occurred in 30% of cases. They consisted of: spontaneously regressive hemobilia (15%) and shunt thrombosis (15%) (3/4 were repermeabilized). Early mortality accounted for 15% of patients in the whole group and 25% in Child C'patients. During follow-up (m = 8 +/- 6 m), only one patient rebled, de novo hepatic encephalopathy occurred in 15% of patients always regressive in response to Lactulose therapy. One year mortality rate was 57%. A comparison between TIPS and other emergency hemostasis methods: endoscopic sclerotherapy, surgical portocaval shunt and esophageal transsection was performed on the early mortality rate according to the percentage of Child C'patients in the various series. TIPS is better than other methods in series with a low percentage of Child C'patients. TIPS should be proposed: in case of failure of endoscopic methods; for patients waiting for liver transplantation; when portal vein patency is compromised by thrombosis. This last indication implies that portal patency must be confirmed with angiography or better by with duplex sonography once primary hemostasis of variceal bleeding has been completed.

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt procedure for variceal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Transjugular placement of an intrahepatic stent is a new technique to establish a portosystemic shunt for treatment of portal hypertension. A puncture needle is advanced in a catheter through the inferior vena cava into a hepatic vein; then an intrahepatic branch of the portal vein is punctured and an expandable stent of metallic mesh is implanted to establish the shunt. METHODS: We attempted the stent-shunt procedure in 100 of 112 consecutive patients with variceal bleeding due to cirrhosis, who were then followed for a mean (+/- SD) of 12 +/- 6 months. Of the 100 patients, 22 had Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis, 10 were treated on an emergency basis, and 68 had alcoholic cirrhosis. The shunt was established with use of Palmaz stents expanded to 8 to 12 mm in diameter. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 93 percent of the patients. The mean (+/- SD) time for the procedure was 1.2 +/- 0.3 hours. The shunt reduced the portal venous pressure gradient by 57 percent. Major complications were hemorrhage (intraabdominal bleeding in six patients, biliary bleeding in four, and bleeding in the liver capsule in three) and migration of the stent into the pulmonary artery (in two patients). At follow-up, stenosis of the shunt was evident in 21 patients and occlusion in 10 patients; 10 of these 31 patients had variceal rebleeding. Stenoses and occlusions of the shunt were all treated successfully by redilation, thrombolysis, or implantation of an additional stent. Hepatic encephalopathy (stages I to III) developed in 25 percent of the patients. The proportion of patients with shunts who remained free of variceal rebleeding was 92 percent at six months and 82 percent at one year. The 30-day mortality was 3 percent. The cumulative one-year survival was 85 percent. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the transjugular placement of an intrahepatic portosystemic stent is an effective and safe treatment for variceal hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis.

[Transjugular portacaval shunt. Preliminary experience]. / Anastomose porto-cave transjugulaire. Expérience préliminaire.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPS) is a new technique in interventional radiology. This procedure is based on the creation of an intrahepatic channel between a main branch of the portal vein and an hepatic vein. A metallic stent is implanted to keep this shunt patent. From July 1990 to March 1992, 28 out of 32 patients with a history of gastric or esophageal variceal rebleeding, were treated by TIPS and followed for up to 20 months (mean 9.36 +/- 5.42). According to the Child Pugh's classification, 9 patients had class A cirrhosis, 17 class B and 6 class C. TIPS led to reduction of the portal pressure gradient by 57% and improvement of the portal blood flow by 250%. Early complications were: one technique-related death due to a medial stent implantation on the portal bifurcation (massive extrahepatic bleeding), other cases consisted of hemobilias (3 patients), intra-abdominal bleeding (1 patient) and gastrointestinal bleedings (4 patients). All of the complications except the deat were spontaneously reversed after withdrawal of Heparin. Follow-up showed a considerable improvement of ascites, seen in 55% of the patients with 100% reduction or disappearance after 3 months. Duplex-sonography follow-up found shunt stenosis in 43% of the patients, allowing preventive redilatation to restore patency of the shunt. Variceal rebleeding occurred in 20% of cases. These results remain interesting with regard to the high risk of bleeding in the patients of this preliminary study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Transjugular intrahepatic portacaval shunt. Preliminary results]. / Anastomose porto-cave intra-hépatique par voie transjugulaire. Résultats préliminaires.

Transjugular implantation of a metallic prosthesis between main portal branch and a hepatic vein is a new intrahepatic portosystemic shunt method to treat portal hypertension. Forty-nine cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension were treated using this technique. The success rate of implantation was 94%. Mortality due to the procedure was 2%. Early complications decreased with the operator's learning curve consisting of bleeding (20%): digestive hemorrhage (n = 5; 12%), hemobilia (n = 4; 8%), which ceased after withdrawal of post-operative heparin. Early thrombosis following shunt implantation occurred in 13% of the patients. Shunt implantation resulted in a 53 +/- 16% decrease in the portocaval pressure gradient (21 +/- 5 to 10 +/- 4 mmHg). Shunts were performed in 45 patients to prevent a recurrence of variceal bleeding. Follow-up of 41 patients showed 12.2% with variceal rebleeding and 16 patients (39%) with a stenosis requiring a redilation. Ascites improved in 95% of the patients and hepatic encephalopathy occurred in 17%. One year survival was 85%. Controlled studies are needed to determine the indications of this new treatment for ascites and bleeding.

[Intrahepatic portacaval anastomosis by the transjugular approach. Use of the Palmaz endoprosthesis]. / Anastomose porto-cave intra-hépatique par voie transjugulaire. Utilisation de l'endoprothèse de Palmaz.

This new, non-operative procedure has been devised to create an intrahepatic shunt between a main portal branch and the right hepatic vein. First, the portal bifurcation is located by sagittal sonography and its position is marked on the skin. Then one of the main portal branches is punctured from the right hepatic vein by the transjugular route, and the puncture tract is expanded by balloon dilatation. This channel is kept open by placement of one or several Palmaz stents. Ten cirrhotic patients (age range: 60-84 years) unfit for surgical portocaval shunting and presenting with recurrent variceal bleeding after sclerotherapy were successfully treated by this method without any related death. During a 1 to 8 months follow-up, 9 of the 10 shunts have remained perfectly patent, but more time is required to determine the place of this method for secondary management of cirrhotic variceal bleeding.

[Peri-rectal infectious cellulitis with septicemia of anal origin. Suppository on trial]. / Cellulite infectieuse péri-rectale avec septicémie à point de départ anal. Le suppositoire en accusation.

Rectal route with local or general effects, is an interesting possibility of treatment. Easy use and rapid absorption are two major advantages. But this therapeutic modality is not riskless. We report a case of septicemia with peri-rectal cellulitis which was generated by two ano-rectal ulcerations after using Trophires suppositories. The infection was favoured by local application of cortisone. Our original observation, with ano-rectal ulcerations and short use of suppository, confirms the idea of short-term treatment stopped in case of unwanted symptom.

[Modelling the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt using a metal prosthesis: requirements of the stent]. / Die Modellierung des transjugulären intrahepatischen portosystemischen Shunts (TIPSS) mittels Metallprothese: Anforderungen an den Stent.

Non-operative percutaneous treatment of portal hypertension as ultima ratio therapy in liver cirrhosis has now been established in 16 cases. After transjugular puncture of a main branch of the portal vein via a liver vein, recollapse of the parenchymal track after predilation was prevented by implantation of a Palmaz stent. This type of stent enables remodelling of the individual length of the parenchymal track in the liver by overlapping placement of several stents. In our experience the Palmaz stent seems to be very efficient in keeping the shunt patent. First, its smooth inner surface after dilation guarantees laminar flow within the stent as a precondition for homogeneous endothelialization of the inner surface. Second, overlapping placement of the stents allows precise covering of the individual length of the shunt. Third shunt diameters can be established by using different sized balloons. The range is 7-10 mm. Fourth this type of stent has a high degree of resistance to eccentric or concentric compression by the surrounding tissue.