Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for the treatment of medically refractory ascites

PURPOSE

This study was performed to assess the safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation for treatment of medically refractory as-cites and to identify prognostic factors for clinical response, morbidity, and mortality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, 80 patients (male:female, 52:28; mean age, 56 years; mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease [MELD] score, 15.1) who underwent elective TIPS creation for refractory ascites between 1999–2012 were studied. A medical record review was performed to identify data on demographics, liver disease, procedures, and outcome. The influence of these parameters on 30-day, 90-day, and one-year mortality was assessed using binary logistic regression. Overall survival was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier statistics.

RESULTS

TIPS was successfully created using covered (n=70) or bare metal (n=10) stents. Hemodynamic success was achieved in all cases. The mean final portosystemic pressure gradient (PSG) was 6.8 mmHg. Thirty-day complications included mild encephalopathy in 35% of patients. Clinical improvement in ascites occurred in 78% of patients, with complete resolution or a ≥50% decrease in 66% of patients. No predictors of response or optimal PSG threshold were identified. The 30-day, 90-day, and one-year mortality rates were 14%, 23%, and 33%, respectively. Patient age (P = 0.026) was associated with 30-day mortality, while final PSG was associated with 90-day (P = 0.020) and one year (P = 0.032) mortality. No predictors of overall survival were identified.

CONCLUSION

TIPS creation effectively treats medically refractory ascites with nearly 80% efficacy. The incidence of mild encephalopathy is nontrivial. Older age and final PSG are associated with mortality, and these factors should be considered in patient selection and procedure performance.The development of medically refractory ascites is associated with a grave prognosis in patients with liver cirrhosis. One-year survival in this population is less than 50%, and there is an increased risk of complications such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and dilutional hyponatremia (1). Moreover, these patients typically have low Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores despite their high mortality rate, and thus hold low positions on national transplant listings (2, 3). Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation, an established treatment for complications of portal hypertension, has demonstrated utility in patients with refractory ascites (4). By diverting blood from the portal venous system to the systemic circulation, TIPS acts to lower hepatic sinusoidal pressure and increase effective circulatory flow, thereby reducing excess sodium retention and achieving ascites recurrence rates as low as 30% (5). Two recent studies revealed reduced mortality in patients undergoing TIPS placement, compared with those receiving serial large-volume paracentesis procedures, with one-year survival rates ranging from 63% to 80% (6, 7). Despite these objective benefits, adverse sequelae of TIPS, such as hepatic encephalopathy, may temper its utility, and predictive factors for clinical outcomes, such as ascites control, remain unclear (8). Mortality after TIPS creation has been associated with a variety of factors, including persistent refractory ascites, patient age, procedural urgency, various laboratory parameters, various liver disease scoring systems, and the occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy (7, 9–11). However, an ideal prognostic tool remains to be found.While the benefits of TIPS creation for refractory ascites are well documented, the lingering inability to accurately predict adverse events and responses to treatment warrants further evaluation. Thus, this investigation was undertaken to review the safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of elective TIPS creation in a large single-center cohort of patients with refractory ascites and conduct, thereby, a detailed analysis of prognostic factors associated with clinical response, morbidity, and mortality.