Elective transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation for portal decompression in the immediate pretransplantation period in adult living related liver transplant recipient candidates: preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate (i) the efficacy of purposeful creation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) before transplantation to optimize potential living related liver transplantation (LRLTx) and (ii) the efficacy of TIPS creation in this setting in reducing perioperative resource utilization.


METHODS
Retrospective review was performed of the records of patients who underwent adult LRLTx with or without preoperative TIPS creation from October 2003 through April 2005. Patients were evaluated for preoperative parameters (Child-Pugh class, Model for End-stage Liver Disease score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE] II score, and coagulation parameters), intraoperative parameters (blood transfusion requirements and operative time), and postoperative parameters (intensive care unit stay, hospital stay, and 30-day repeat operation and mortality rates). Comparison between the two treatment groups was made with the Mann-Whitney U test. Within the TIPS group, comparison of blood transfusion requirements was performed by one-way analysis of variance based on the degree of portosystemic gradient reduction after TIPS creation.


RESULTS
Sixteen patients were included in the TIPS group, and 12 patients were included in the group without TIPS. Median time between TIPS and transplantation was 2 days. There was no statistical difference in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters between groups except for the APACHE II score (P<.002), which was higher in the TIPS group. Despite this, the outcome and postoperative hospital resource utilization were similar between groups. Intraoperative blood transfusion based on the degree of portosystemic gradient reduction after TIPS creation was not significantly different between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Newly created TIPS do not interfere with the intraoperative technical and perioperative clinical aspects of adult LRLTx. Preoperative TIPS creation before transplantation may reduce the postoperative morbidity and mortality seen in liver transplant recipients who have a greater APACHE II score at the outset of treatment.
Saad
Wael E A
WE
Department of Imaging Sciences, Section of Vascular/Interventional Radiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, New York 14642, USA. wspikes@yahoo.com
Saad
Nael E A
NE
Davies
Mark G
MG
Bozorgdadeh
Adel
A
Orloff
Mark S
MS
Patel
Nikhil C
NC
Abt
Peter L
PL
Lee
David E
DE
Sahler
Lawrence G
LG
Kitanosono
Takashi
T
Sasson
Talia
T
Waldman
David L
DL
D018806:APACHE; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008875:Middle Aged; D019168:Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome