title: Long-term efficacy of stent placement for treating inferior vena cava stenosis following liver transplantation.
abstract: The aims of this study were to evaluate both the efficacy of stent placement for treating inferior vena cava (IVC) stenosis and the patency of hepatic veins (HVs) following IVC stent placement. Fourteen hepatic transplant recipients underwent stent placement to treat IVC stenosis. The median interval between transplantation and stent placement was 32 days. Stents varied from 20-36 mm in diameter and were 60-120 mm long. We retrospectively analyzed the technical and clinical success, changes of hepatic venous flow, and the patency of the IVC stents. Stent placement was successful in all patients. Clinical success was achieved in 12 patients. Four patients underwent HV balloon angioplasty or stent placement through IVC stent meshes either immediately (n = 1) or 12-110 days after (n = 3) IVC stent placement. Nine of the 12 patients were healthy when this manuscript was completed, and the last follow-up computed tomography scan obtained at a median of 65.3 months after IVC stent placement revealed the patency of the stent-placed IVC and HVs. IVC stent placement seems to be an effective treatment with an excellent, long-term patency for treating posttransplant stenosis, although the possibility of hepatic venous outflow abnormalities following IVC stent placement should also be considered.
authors.affiliation: Inje University Paik Hospital, Radiology, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Myeong
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gi-Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Kyu-Bo
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Dong Il
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Gwon
authors.forename: Hyun-Ki
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sung-Gyu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000473:pathology*