Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS)]

Our first clinical experience of TIPSS made for a 52-year-old patient with recurrent life threatening variceal bleeding is described. Although shunt-making between the right hepatic vein and the right portal vein and placement of Gianturco-R?sch Z stents were successfully made without significant complication related to the procedure, sufficient decompression of the portal vein pressure was not obtained because of compression on these stents at the tortuous portion of the shunting tract. Some technical problems of the procedure are also discussed, especially about choice of metallic stents and puncture technique.