Procedural and shunt-related complications and mortality of the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS).
The implantation of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) is a complex angiographic procedure performed in patients with end-stage liver disease. Numerous case reports and narrative reviews have been published so far; however, studies systematically investigating procedural and shunt-related complications are lacking.



To systematically investigate complications and mortality occurring during the index hospital stay and the early (4-week) period after TIPSS implantation.



The study includes 389 patients who received a TIPSS implantation between 2004 and 2014. Data were obtained from the clinical records and technical reports of the TIPSS implantation.



During the index hospital stay, procedure-related complications occurred in 42 patients (10.8%) with intraperitoneal bleeding in 8 patients (2.1%) and infections in 14 patients (3.6%). Shunt- and disease-related complications consisted of hepatic encephalopathy (1-year incidence 29%), non-procedural infections (8.7%) and acute hepatic decompensation (4.1%). Nine patients (2.3%) died during the index hospital stay from procedure-related (two patients, 0.5%), shunt-related (four patients, 1%) or disease-related causes (three patients, 0.8%). 23 patients (5.9%) died during 4 weeks after TIPSS implantation. The 1-year probability of survival was 67.7% and was negatively associated with severe hepatic encephalopathy and acute hepatic decompensation.



Except hepatic encephalopathy, severe procedure- and shunt-related complications are rare and early mortality is low.
Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. dominik.bettinger@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
D
D
Bettinger
Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
M
M
Schultheiss
Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
T
T
Boettler
Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
M
M
Muljono
Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.|PraxisZentrum für Gastroenterologie und Endokrinologie, Freiburg, Germany.
R
R
Thimme
Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.|PraxisZentrum für Gastroenterologie und Endokrinologie, Freiburg, Germany.
M
M
Rössle
D000368:Aged; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019168:Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome