title: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for Budd-Chiari syndrome: techniques, indications and results on 51 Chinese patients from a single centre.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Western countries, transjugular intrahepatic portosytemic shunt (TIPS) is widely applied for the treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). However, the outcome of Chinese BCS patients treated with TIPS is extremely limited. Furthermore, the timing of conversion from percutaneous recanalization to TIPS remains uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  All consecutive BCS patients treated with TIPS between December 2004 and June 2012 were included. Patients were classified as the early and converted TIPS groups. Indications, TIPS-related complications, post-TIPS hepatic encephalopathy, shunt dysfunction and death were reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 51 patients included, 39 underwent percutaneous recanalization for 1024 days (0-4574) before TIPS. Early TIPS group (n = 19) has a shorter history of BCS and a lower proportion of prior percutaneous recanalization than converted TIPS group (n = 32). Main indications were diffuse obstruction of three HVs (n = 12), liver failure (n = 2), liver function deterioration (n = 8), refractory ascites (n = 10) and variceal bleeding (n = 19). Procedure-related intraperitoneal bleeding was reversible in three patients. The cumulative 1-year rate of being free of first episode of post-TIPS hepatic encephalopathy and shunt dysfunction was 78.38 and 61.69% respectively. The cumulative 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 83.82, 81.20 and 76.93% respectively. BCS-TIPS score, but not Child-Pugh, MELD, Clichy or Rotterdam score, could predict the survival. Age, total bilirubin and inferior vena cava thrombosis were also significantly associated with overall survival. Survival was similar between early and converted TIPS groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TIPS can achieve an excellent survival in Chinese patients in whom percutaneous recanalization is ineffective or inappropriate. BCS-TIPS score could effectively predict these patients' survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver Disease and Digestive Interventional Radiology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xingshun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Wengang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Chuangye
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feifei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhanxin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Daiming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Guohong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D006502:Budd-Chiari Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D019168:Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Budd-Chiari syndrome; prognosis; transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt; treatment