Smaller-Diameter Covered Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Stents Are Associated With Increased Survival.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We studied the effects of diameter of covered, self-expandable, nitinol stents on survival times of patients with a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). METHODS: We collected data from 185 patients (median age, 55 y; 30% female) who received a covered nitinol stent, from February 2006 through September 2010, using the online multicenter German TIPS registry. TIPS were given to 107 patients for refractory ascites and to 78 patients for variceal bleeding. Patients at risk of hepatic encephalopathy (owing to advanced age, prior episodes) or liver failure (bilirubin level, >3 mg/dL), and bleeding patients receiving variceal embolization at TIPS, received 8-mm stents (n = 53). The remaining patients received 10-mm stents (n = 132). Eighty-one of the 10-mm stents were underdilated using 8-mm dilation balloons. Clinical and biochemical data were collected after TIPS placement at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and thereafter every 3 to 6 months. Groups were compared using propensity score analysis. RESULTS: Patients who received 8-mm stents survived significantly longer (34 ± 26 mo) than patients who received 10-mm stents (18 ± 19 mo), regardless of whether they were fully dilated or underdilated. When we compared 10-mm stents with or without underdilation, we found that a significantly higher proportion of patients who received underdilated stents survived for 1 month after TIPS placement (95% vs 84%; P = .03), but not for 3 months (P = .10). In multivariate analysis, 1-year mortality correlated with full dilation of the stent to 10 mm (hazard ratio [HR], 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5) and with serum creatinine concentration at baseline (HR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-1.7). Five-year mortality was associated with use of the 10-mm stents (HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4-2.7) and baseline concentration of creatinine (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6). CONCLUSIONS: A smaller stent (nominal diameter of 8 mm, but not underdilation of a 10-mm stent) is associated with a prolonged survival compared with 10-mm stents, independent of liver-specific prognostic criteria.

Treatment of benign and malignant tracheobronchial obstruction with metal wire stents: experience with a balloon-expandable and a self-expandable stent type.

Over the last few years various types of metal wire stents have been increasingly employed in the treatment of both malignant and benign tracheobronchial obstruction. To date, however, few studies have investigated the in vivo properties of different stent types. We implanted 26 balloon-expandable tantalum Strecker stents (18 patients) and 18 self-expandable Wallstents (16 patients) into the tracheobronchial system of 30 patients with combined stenting in 4 patients. Mean age was 51 years (range: 0.5-79 years). Malignant disease was present in 23 patients, benign disease in seven patients. Both patients and individual stents were monitored clinically and radiographically. The probability of stents remaining within the tracheobronchial system, and of their remaining undislocated and uncompressed was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis for both stent types. Average stent follow-up time was 112 days until explantation and 115 days until patients' death or discharge. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a higher probability for the Wallstent to remain within the tracheobronchial system. Dislocation and compression occurred more rarely. Explantation, however, if desired, was more difficult compared to the Strecker stent. The Wallstent also led to the formation of granulation tissue, especially at the proximal stent end, frequently requiring reintervention. Both stent types proved to be effective therapeutic options in the management of obstructive tracheobronchial disease. The mechanical properties of the Strecker stent seem to be less favorable compared to the Wallstent but removal is easy. For benign disease, however, the Wallstent reveals limitations due to significant side effects.