Intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts: Color Doppler sonography

Background The aim of the study was to evaluate intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts (IPSVS) patterns and to determine the role of Color Doppler sonography in the diagnosis and evaluation of related hemodynamic changes in portal perfusion. Methods Sonography and Color Doppler imaging were performed in nine patients with IPSVS. Type and Doppler waveform of the shunt were determined; velocity measurements in the portal trunk and portal branches were studied to evaluate the effects of the shunt on intrahepatic circulation. Computed tomography was performed in six patients, magnetic resonance imaging in three patients, and angiography in two patients. Results The shunt between the portal and hepatic veins was aneurismal in six patients, while localized peripheral shunt with multiple tortuous vessels in one hepatic segment was observed in three patients. The shunts showed continuous low velocity spectral tracings and in the aneurismal shunts a low velocity bi-directional or helicoidal flow was detected. The feeding portal branches and the draining hepatic veins showed anomalous Doppler tracings and alterations of intrahepatic portal perfusion were observed in three cases. Conclusion Color Doppler is essential for proper diagnosis of IPSVS and for evaluation of related hemodynamic changes in portal perfusion.     

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for repeated bleeding of hemorrhoids caused by severe portal hypertension with ectopic varices: A case report

BackgroundSevere portal hypertension is life-threatening and can bring adverse complications such as ascites, gastroesophageal varices, and edema. It can, even cause variceal hemorrhage, which may lead to a high risk of death. There is a rare incidence in bleeding of hemorrhoids caused by severe ectopic varices.Case presentationWe report the case of a female patient with a 20-year history of hepatitis B virus infection who presented with repeated bleeding of hemorrhoids caused by severe portal hypertension with ectopic varices that is connection between the superior mesenteric vein and rectal venous plexus. Laboratory results revealed a hemoglobin level of 74 g/L. Finally, the patient was successfully treated with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) placement without variceal embolization after a multidisciplinary comprehensive opinion. In the two-month follow-up period, the patient had failed to develop hepatic encephalopathy or hematochezia, and computed tomography venography (CTV) indicated that the stent was unobstructed and ascites disappeared.ConclusionsTIPSS placement is effective for the case, and we hope this case can help improve clinicians’ awareness of hemorrhoidal bleeding with severe portal hypertension. Portal hypertension should also be considered during the diagnosis and treatment, as opposed to hemorrhoidal bleeding alone. Moreover, abdominal CTV is recommended as an effective imaging examination method to determine the stent status after operation.     

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: demonstration of portosystemic venous shunts using power Doppler sonography and sonographically guided percutaneous transhepatic portovenography.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disease associated with vascular abnormalities, which may occur in any organ. Cases of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia accompanied by intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts, however, have rarely been described. We report a case of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia in which intrahepatic portosystemic shunts were detected using power Doppler sonography and portovenography with percutaneous transhepatic contrast agent injection. On gray-scale sonography, the common hepatic artery was dilated, and dilated tubular structures mimicking dilated biliary tracts were found. Power Doppler sonography demonstrated the continuity of tortuous vascular channels connecting a branch of the right portal vein to a branch of the right hepatic vein. The dilated vascular channels and tributaries of the right hepatic vein showed a monophasic waveform pattern on spectral analysis. Portovenography showed a tangle of vascular structures connecting with a branch of the right hepatic vein.     

Traitement des complications de l’hypertension portale par TIPS en 2016

Portal hypertension (PHT) is defined by an increase of the pressure gradient between the sus-hepatic vena and the portal vein. PHT is most often due to liver cirrhosis. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a percutaneously created low-resistance channel between the portal and the hepatic veins. The goal of TIPS is to reduce portal pressure by shunting blood from the portal to the systemic circulation, bypassing the liver. TIPS could permit to treat severe portal hypertension-related complication such as esophageal or gastric varices bleeding. TIPS is currently indicated as the salvage therapy in patients with bleeding esophageal varices who failed to respond to standard treatment. More recently, applying TIPS early has been shown to be an effective treatment to control bleeding and decrease mortality in patients with severe cirrhosis. TIPS is also recommended as the second-line treatment for secondary prophylaxis. TIPS is a promising treatment for refractory ascites or hepatic hydrothorax. TIPS should be considered in the treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome. However, the role of TIPS in the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome is not well defined.     

Intrahepatic spontaneous portosystemic venous shunt: value of color and power Doppler sonography

Spontaneous portosystemic venous shunts (SPVSs) within the hepatic parenchyma are rare. Fewer than 50 cases have been reported, and most of them were diagnosed by angiography. We present a case of SPVS diagnosed by color Doppler sonography in a 5-year-old boy admitted for bleeding due to rupture of esophageal varices. Conventional color and power Doppler sonography as well as CT showed a large shunt between the posterior branch of the right portal vein and the inferior vena cava. We believe that accurate diagnosis and follow-up of SPVS can be done with color Doppler sonography without resorting to angiography.     

Portal systemic shunt between the hepatic portal vein and right renal vein in a patient with multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma: Case report

Portal hypertension is a clinical syndrome characterized by the development of collateral circulation and portosystemic shunts, as well as ascites and hepatic encephalopathy. We present the case of a large portosystemic shunt between the hepatic portal vein and aneurysmal right renal vein in a cirrhotic 64‐year‐old man with thrombosis of the portal vein and hepatocellular carcinoma. This is a very rare clinical manifestation which, to our knowledge, has been described only once previously in the literature. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45 :524–527, 2017     

Percutaneous transhepatic intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for variceal bleeding: A series of six cases and literature review

ObjectivesTo present a case series of modified transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) and percutaneous transhepatic intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (PTIPS) in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding (VB). In addition, the scientific literature pertaining to PTIPS was reviewed.MethodsThis retrospective clinical case series included six cirrhotic patients with VB who were treated with PTIPS after the failure of endoscopic band ligation or endoscopic injection sclerotherapy combined with vasoactive drugs. The treatment was conducted between January 2017 and June 2019 at a single institution. Three patients suffered from severe atrophy of the right or left lobar of the liver as well as the main right or left branch of the portal vein. The remaining three patients showed severe atrophy of the whole liver and portal vein, resulting in widening of the liver fissure. A paired t-test was used to compare the changes in portal pressure gradient between before and after the PTIPS operation. The rebleeding rate, treatment efficacy, complications, and technical success rate were all assessed during follow-up.ResultsAll six PTIPS procedures were performed successfully, with no severe procedural-related complications observed. None of the patients experienced VB during a mean follow-up of 22.8 (range, 18.0–28.0) months. The mean portosystemic pressure gradient decreased from 28.3 ​± ​4.3 ​mmHg pre-procedure to 12.3 ​± ​2.6 ​mmHg immediately post-procedure (P ​< ​0.001). At follow-up, one patient was found to have developed grade 2 hepatic encephalopathy thrice during the first year, according to the West Haven criteria. However, this was resolved following medical treatment.ConclusionsWhen the patient’s portal venous anatomy is unconducive to the performance of TIPS using the transjugular approach, PTIPS can be considered as a safe, effective complementary surgical approach for patients with VB.     

Correction of amino-acid imbalance in postoperative portosystemic shunts

We report on 22 cirrhotic patients suffering from portal hypertension and bleeding esophageal varices. Sixteen of them underwent H mesocaval shunt with internal jugular vein graft and 6 spleno-renal shunts. Mortality was 13.2%. All the patients were treated postoperatively with parenteral and oral nutritional support with solutions containing no aromatic amino-acids, following Fischer's formula. We determined Fischer's index (formula; see text); normal value 2.67 +/- 0.22) on the day of operation (1.6 +/- 0.22), on the 8th postoperative day (2.32 +/- 0.49), and on the 15th postoperative day (1.85 +/- 0.37). Only 1 patient suffered from hepatic encephalopathy in the immediate postoperative period. Three months after operation Fischer's index was 1.20 +/- 0.11 and only 2 patients with an index below 1 suffered from chronic encephalopathy. We conclude that there is a correlation between Fischer's index and the presence of post-shunt hepatic encephalopathy. The proposed policy of parenteral nutrition improves the values of Fischer's index in the immediate postoperative period and we believe that nutritional support should be included routinely as an adjuvant therapy in portosystemic shunts in cirrhotic patients.     

Color Doppler sonographic evaluation of spontaneous portosystemic shunts and inversion of portal venous flow in patients with cirrhosis

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of color Doppler sonography in the detection of spontaneous portosystemic shunts and abnormal blood flow direction in the portal vein in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: Patients were 67 men and 42 women (mean age, 53 +/- 14 years) with cirrhosis confirmed by liver biopsy. All patients underwent abdominal gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic evaluations to detect the presence of spontaneous portosystemic shunts and to analyze portal vein blood flow direction. RESULTS: Spontaneous portosystemic shunts were found in 41 patients (38%), most often as splenorenal shunts (21%) and patent umbilical veins (14%). Less frequent were gastric collaterals, gallbladder varices, collaterals to thrombotic portal veins, mesoiliac shunts, and portorenal shunts to the right kidney. The presence of shunts was associated with that of esophageal varices (p < 0.01), ascites (p < 0.01), and inversion of portal flow (p < 0. 001) but not with splenomegaly. The direction of portal venous flow was normal (hepatopetal) in 80 patients (73%), hepatofugal in 10 (9%), and bidirectional in 7 (6%); 12 patients (11%) had partial portal vein thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: Portosystemic shunts and the direction of portal venous flow are important features in the sonographic diagnosis of portal hypertension.     

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPS) implantation is an intervention to reduce elevated portal pressure by implantation of a stent shunt between hepatic and portal vein by transjugular approach. Elevated portal pressure is mostly caused by cirrhosis of the liver but Budd-Chiari-syndrome, venoocclusive disease, and portal vein thrombosis can also be responsible. The main indications for TIPS implantation are intractable variceal hemorrhage, prophylaxis for recurrent variceal bleeding after failure of endoscopic prophylaxis, and prophylaxis for recurrent variceal bleeding from gastric varices in the fundus. New data show that treatment of refractory ascites using TIPS implantation also leads to improved patient survival. Primary bleeding prophylaxis is not an indication for TIPS implantation. Absolute contraindications are progressive liver failure, decompensation of the right ventricle, pulmonary hypertension, and higher degree hepatic encephalopathy. The main problems after TIPS implantation are a high rate of restenosis, which frequently requires reintervention with TIPS dilatation or reimplantation, and undesirable side effects in patients after TIPS implantation for indications without proven benefit. Due to a number of prospective randomized controlled trials, the indications and contraindications for TIPS are now well defined, thus leading to a reduction of side effects and a more precise use of this important therapeutic modality for portal hypertension.     

Incidence and clinical significance of spontaneous intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts detected by sonography in adults without potential cause

PURPOSE: B-mode and color Doppler sonography were used to assess the incidence and clinical significance of spontaneous intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt in adults without detectable cause. METHODS: A total of 25,579 adults without potential cause of intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt were screened using B-mode sonography. Suspicion of shunt was confirmed by color Doppler sonography. Patients with shunt were followed up with sonography at 6- to 12-month intervals and received dietary education to prevent the ingestion of extra-large amounts of protein. During each sonography session, the patients were asked to report any experience of consciousness disturbance. RESULTS: Six patients (0.0235%) showed evidence of shunt on color Doppler sonography. Direct communication between a right portal branch and the inferior vena cava was found in 3 patients; a small aneurysm connecting a peripheral portal branch to the hepatic vein was found in the remaining 3 patients. Five patients were followed up (range, 12-60 months) and showed no change in the size of the shunt. None of the patients with shunt reported an experience of consciousness disturbance. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of spontaneous intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt is extremely low in asymptomatic adult patients. Follow-up and dietary control seen to be suitable for their management.     

经颈静脉肝内门体分流术术前穿刺点的动态增强MRA定位

目的 探讨动态增强MRA(DCE-MRA)在经颈静脉肝内门体分流术(TIPS)术前定位中的作用. 方法 收集46例肝硬化门脉高压患者的MRA图像,测量并根据测量结果进行穿刺. 结果 肝静脉穿刺点到门静脉穿刺点平面上下垂直距离(AA')为(22.63±10.21)mm;肝静脉穿刺点到门静脉穿刺点平面前后垂直距离(A'A')为(13.93±1.07)mm;前后穿刺角度为(31.64±9.23)°;肝静脉、门静脉穿刺点距椎体右缘距离分别为(23.51±2.12)mm、(38.51±5.36)mm;左右穿刺角度为向右偏(33.57±8.93)°.45例穿刺成功,且穿刺次数较少. 结论 门静脉穿刺点位置变化较大,定位需个体化.DCE-MRA是一种有价值且无损伤的定位方法,对TIPS术前定位有重要意义.     

Percutaneous transsplenic embolization of jejunal varices in a patient with liver cirrhosis: a case report

Bleeding jejunal varices are rare and could be life threatening. They are usually found in the presence of portal hypertension and prior history of gastrointestinal surgery. They can be effectively managed by radiological interventions such as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt or transhepatic embolization of varices. However, in patients with portal vein obstruction, an alternative access is necessary. We report a case of bleeding jejunal varices associated with postoperative adhesion in a patient with portal vein thrombosis which was successfully managed by percutaneous transsplenic embolization.     

Sonography of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS) is an effective procedure for relieving portal hypertension. Sonography can usefully assist portal vein puncture. Color and duplex sonography after TIPS demonstrates changes in hepatic vascular hemodynamics, detects complications, and confirms shunt patency. A large proportion of shunts will develop progressive stenosis over 12 months. Stenosis occurs because of pseudointimal hyperplasia in the stent or in the hepatic vein. Patent shunts are characterized by velocities in excess of 70 cm/s and hepatofugal flow in the portal circulation distal to the shunt. Although the cause of the stenosis can rarely be seen, velocities of less than 50 cm/s indicate shunt stenosis. Loss of cardiac pulsatility is another useful sign of shunt stenosis. Regular sonographic monitoring reliably detects stenosis, allowing stent revision and preventing recurrence of bleeding.     

Intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt via the right adrenal vein: treatment with vascular plug

A 65-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to alcohol-related liver cirrhosis had undergone transarterial chemoembolization 11 times. However, treatment for HCC was difficult to continue, due to episodic hepatic encephalopathy. He was referred to our hospital for treatment of hepatic encephalopathy, showing a Child-Pugh score of 8 despite medical therapy. Abdominal computed tomography revealed intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt comprising two shunt tracts from the right posterior portal vein to the inferior vena cava via the right adrenal vein. The larger tract was occluded using an Amplatzer Vascular Plug (AVP) II, and the smaller tract was occluded using an original AVP. The postembolization course was uneventful. Hepatic encephalopathy improved after shunt occlusion and no recurrence had occurred as of one year after the procedure.     

Clinical efficacy of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt created through left or right branches of the portal vein: A meta-analysis

Background and aimTransjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a technique successfully used to treat portal hypertension and its complications. However, the choice of the branch, left (L) or right (R), of the portal vein resulting in a better outcome is still under debate. Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to evaluate which branch has a better curative effect on patients treated with TIPS.MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, Web of science, Cochrane Library databases, Wanfang database and CBM were used for our search in October 2019 and updated in June 2021. The following parameters were used in evaluation: overall mortality, hepatic encephalopathy, shunt dysfunction, variceal rebleeding and rate of postoperative ascites.ResultsThere were seven studies included. The sample size was 1940. A lower risk of mortality was observed in TIPS-L-treated patients compared with TIPS-R-treated ones (OR ​= ​0.65, 95% CI ​= ​0.50–0.85, p ​= ​0.002). A lower risk of shunt dysfunction was observed in TIPS-L-treated patients compared with TIPS-R-treated ones (OR ​= ​0.53, 95% CI ​= ​0.33–0.87, p ​= ​0.01). And the TIPS-L group had a significantly higher hepatic encephalopathy-free rate than the TIPS-R group (OR ​= ​0.59, 95% CI ​= ​0.44–0.78, p ​= ​0.0002). However, the rate of rebleeding (OR ​= ​0.75, 95% CI ​= ​0.55–1.03, p ​= ​0.07) and incidence of postoperative ascites (OR ​= ​1.14, 95% CI ​= ​0.86–1.51, p ​= ​0.38) was not statistically significant between the two groups.ConclusionsBased on the currently available evidence, the technique of TIPS through the left branch of the portal vein can significantly reduce the occurrence of overall postoperative mortality, hepatic encephalopathy and shunt dysfunction.     

Application of transmesenteric vein extrahepatic portosystemic shunt in treatment of symptomatic portal hypertension with cavernous transformation of portal vein

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a transmesenteric vein extrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TmEPS) for the treatment of cavernous transformation of the portal vein(CTPV).Materials and methods: The clinical data of 20 patients with CTPV who underwent TmEPS between December 2020and January 2022 at Henan Provincial People’s Hospital were retrospectively collected. The superior mesenteric vein(SMV) trunk was patent or partially occluded in these patients. An extrahepatic portosystem...     

经肾静脉先天性部分型肝外门体静脉分流的MSCT和超声表现

目的 分析经肾静脉先天性部分型肝外门体静脉分流（CPEPSVRV）的MSCT和超声表现。方法 回顾性分析我院11例CPEPSVRV患者（病变组）和20例对照（对照组）的影像学资料,对两组患者均行MSCT增强扫描,病变组进行超声检查。采用两独立样本Mann-Whitney U检验比较两组门静脉主干、左右分支及肝固有动脉管径。结果 病变组增强MSCT均显示门和（或）脾静脉与左肾静脉间粗细不等单一分流血管,其中门-肾静脉分流2例,门脾-肾静脉分流1例,脾-肾静脉分流8例;11例均伴门静脉及其分支不同程度发育细小,其中1例同时合并门静脉右支缺如;肝总动脉及肝固有动脉均有不同程度扩张、增粗。MPR、MIP和VR可立体显示分流血管起始、走行及终止位置。超声检查均显示门静脉和（或）脾静脉血经分流血管向肾静脉分流。两组门静脉主干、左右分支及肝固有动脉管径差异均有统计学意义（P均<0.05）。结论 CPEPSVRV影像学表现具有特征性。MSCT增强扫描结合超声检查可清晰显示分流血管、分流方向及伴发病变。     

Role of percutaneous transhepatic obliteration for special types of varices with portal hypertension

The treatment of special types of varices with portal hypertension has not yet been established. We were able to control 13 cases of special types of varices by percutaneous transhepatic obliteration (PTO). These 13 cases consisted of 2 esophagojejunal varices after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, 1 stoma varices after abdominoperineal excision for rectal cancer, 2 mesenteric varices with encephalopathy, 1 gastric variceal rupture, 1 gastrorenal and gastroazygos shunt with encephalopathy, 3 giant bar-type esophageal varices, 2 isolated gastric varices with gastropericardiac shunts, and 1 isolated gastric varices with gastrophrenic shunt. The special types of varices were successfully embolized in all cases and there were no complications. We conclude that the PTO is still an effective and safe treatment for special types of varices with portal hypertension.     

64排螺旋CT血管造影评价肝硬化血管改变及侧支循环

目的 探讨MSCTA评价肝硬化肝脏血管的异常改变及侧支循环形成的价值。 方法 对168例肝硬化患者(肝硬化组)及120例无肝硬化的患者(对照组)行肝区三期MSCTA,应用MIP和VR进行重建,并对获得的图像进行对照分析。 结果 肝硬化组和对照组门静脉1级和肝静脉1级血管的显示差异无统计学意义(P分别为0.51、0.08),肝动脉、门静脉、肝静脉分级显示差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01)。肝硬化组肝动脉、门静脉起始部增粗85例,分支纤细、纡曲98例,门静脉癌栓形成9例,海绵变性8例,肝动脉持续显影55例、门静脉持续显影57例;对照组3例肝动脉、门静脉起始部增粗,2例分支纤细、纡曲,4例肝动脉持续显影,3例门静脉持续显影。肝硬化组交通支开放总数258支,其中食管胃底静脉曲张196例(196/258,75.97%),对照组仅2例见腹膜后分流。 结论 64排CT三期血管成像可准确、全面显示肝 硬化血管的异常改变及门体分流,尤其能较早、较全面地显示食管胃底静脉曲张,为临床提供更多可靠的诊断和治疗依据。