Wedged hepatic vein portovenography for assessment of Rex vein patency in children with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Meso-Rex bypass is the surgical intervention of choice for children with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO). Patency of Rex vein, umbilical recessus of the portal vein, is a prerequisite for this surgery. Conventional diagnostic modalities poorly detect patency, while transjugular wedged hepatic vein portography (WHVP) accurately detects patency in 90%. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess Rex vein patency and portal vein branching pattern in children with EHPVO using transjugular WHVP and to identify factors associated with Rex vein patency. METHODS: Transjugular WHVP was performed in 31 children with EHPVO by selective cannulation of left and right hepatic veins. Rex vein patency, type of intrahepatic portal venous anatomy (Types A-E), and factors associated with patency of Rex vein were studied. RESULTS: The patency of Rex recess on transjugular WHVP was 29%. Complete obliteration of intrahepatic portal venous radicles was the commonest pattern (Type E, 38.7%) while Type A, the favorable anatomy for meso-Rex bypass, was seen in only 12.9%. Patency of the Rex vein, but not the anatomical pattern, was associated with younger age at evaluation (patent Rex: 6.6 ± 4.9 years vs. nonpatent Rex: 12.7 ± 3.9 years, p = 0.001). Under-5-year children had a 12 times greater chance of having a patent Rex vein (odds ratio: 12.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.65-90.40, p = 0.004). Patency or pattern was unrelated to local factors like umbilical vein catheterization, systemic thrombophilia, or disease severity. CONCLUSION: Less than one-third of our pediatric EHPVO patients have a patent Rex vein. Younger age at evaluation is significantly associated with Rex vein patency.

Predictors and Outcomes of Post-transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Liver Failure in Patients with Cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) liver failure (PTLF) is a serious complication of TIPS procedure with poor patient prognosis. This study tried to investigate the incidence of PTLF following elective TIPS procedure and evaluated possible predictive factors for the same. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent elective TIPS placement between 2012 and 2022 and was conducted to determine development of PTLF (≥ 3-fold bilirubin and/or ≥ 2-fold INR elevation from the baseline) within 30 days following TIPS procedure. Medical record review was done and factors predicting development of PTLF and the 90-day transplant-free survival was determined. RESULTS: Thirty of 352 (8.5%) patients developed PTLF within 30 days of TIPS (mean age 54.2 ± 9.8 years, 83% male). The etiology of cirrhosis was related to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in 50%, alcohol in 33.3%, and hepatitis B/C virus infection in 16.7% of the patients. The mean Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score was 9.5 ± 1.2 and mean model for end stage liver disease (MELD) score was 14.6 ± 4.5 at the time of admission in patients who developed PTLF. The indication for TIPS was recurrent variceal bleed in 50% (15 of 30) and refractory ascites in 46.7% (14 of 30) patients with PTLF. Multivariate analysis identified prior HE (OR 6.1; CI 2.57-14.5, p < 0.0001) and higher baseline CTP score (OR 1.47; CI 1.07-2.04; p = 0.018) as predictors of PTLF. PTLF was associated with significantly lower 90-day transplant-free survival, as compared to patients without PTLF (40% versus 96%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Almost 10% of patients with cirrhosis develop post-TIPS liver failure and is associated with significant early mortality and morbidity. Higher baseline CTP score and prior HE were identified as predictors for PTLF.

Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) Extension for Transhepatic Mesocaval Shunt Creation: A Case Series for Treating Refractory Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with Chronic Portal Vein Thrombosis.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is known to benefit patients with decompensated liver disease by alleviating portal pressure. However, TIPS creation is technically difficult and challenging to perform in patients with chronic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (4,5). Multiple endovascular techniques for portal vein recanalization with or without creating portosystemic shunt are available to decompress and alleviate portal hypertension in patients with PVT. In this case series, we represent TIPS extension to create an endovascular mesocaval shunt for the treatment of refractory upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Evaluation of clinical outcome and predictors of mortality in patients undergoing antegrade transvenous variceal embolisation in adjunct to salvage TIPS for active uncontrolled gastric variceal bleeding.

OBJECTIVES: Salvage TIPS is indicated in patients with active endoscopically uncontrollable variceal bleeding. TIPS alone is not effective in management of gastric varices and BRTO requires favourable variceal anatomy. Concomittant placement of a TIPS stent with antegrade variceal embolisation leads to control of gastric variceal bleeding with no significant increase in portal pressure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single centre retrospective observational study where patients with active uncontrollable gastric variceal bleeding were included in the study. Technical success of the procedure, 5-day rebleed, 6-weeks and 6-months survival as well as other additional outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 18 patients were included in the study. Technical success was 100% and significant non-target embolisation was seen in 0% patients. 6 week and 6 month survival rates were 66.67% with an overall survival of 108.786 days (censored at 180 days). 5 day rebleed rate was 11.1%. A significant difference in CTP score (p = 0.03), MELD Na score (p = 0.022), requirement of intubation (p = 0.038), hemoglobin levels (p = 0.042), hematocrit value (p = 0.018), PRBC infusion required prior to and after the procedure (p = 0.045, 0.044) and presence of refractory shock (p = 0.013) was observed between the survival and the mortality group. Post variceal bleeding hemoglobin levels, MAP and MELD-Na scores were significant predictors of mortality. CONCLUSION: TIPS in adjunct to antegrade transvenous embolisation is a safe and effective modality for management of active uncontrolled gastric variceal bleeding in patients with variceal anatomy unfavourable for performing RTO.

Real-Time Shear Wave Elastography for Determining the Ideal Site of Liver Biopsy in Diffuse Liver Disease.

Objectives The objective of the study was to identify accurate site of liver biopsy under ultrasound and elastography guidance and compare the shear wave elastography (SWE) and transient elastography (TE) diagnostic accuracy with histopathological correlation. Methods This was a prospective single-center study where patients scheduled for nonfocal liver biopsy were divided into two groups (group U: ultrasound; group E elastography) by sequential nonrandom selection of patients. Elastography was performed before the biopsy and biopsies from the maximum stiffness segment were taken. Results There was no significant difference of intersegmental liver stiffness with mean velocity; however, biopsy segment velocities show significant difference with mean liver stiffness suggestive of heterogenous distribution of fibrosis. The rho ( r ; Spearman's correlation) value between biopsy segments and mean velocities shows excellent correlation. The diagnostic performance of TE was good for fibrosis stages F2, F3, and F4, while SWE was fair for the diagnosis of fibrosis stages F1 and F2 and fairly equal for the diagnosis stages F2 and F3. Area under the curve (AUC) values in differentiating mild (F1) or no fibrosis from significant fibrosis (≥F2) were 95.5 with cutoff value of at least 1.94 m/s. Conclusions The diagnostic performance of SWE is comparable with TE in liver fibrosis staging and monitoring. Fibrosis is heterogeneously distributed in different segments of the right lobe liver. Therefore, elastography at the time of biopsy may help in defining the accurate site for biopsy and improve histopathological yield in detecting liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Advances in Knowledge Elastography-guided biopsy is helpful to determine the ideal site of biopsy.

Comparison of Balloon-Occluded Thrombolysis with Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis in Patients of Budd-Chiari Syndrome with Occluded Direct Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt.

Objectives Direct intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (DIPS) stent placement is an effective treatment for patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS); however, thrombotic occlusion of DIPS stent remains a cause of concern. The purpose of this study is to describe a novel technique of balloon-occluded-thrombolysis (BOT) for occluded DIPS stent, and compare it with the conventional catheter-directed-thrombolysis (CDT). Methods In this retrospective study, the hospital database was searched for BCS patients who underwent DIPS revision for thrombotic stent occlusion between January 2015 and February 2021. Patients were divided into CDT group and BOT group. The groups were compared for technical success, total dose of thrombolytic agent administered, duration of hospital stay, and primary assisted stent patency rates at 1- and 6-month follow-up. Results CDT was performed in 12 patients, whereas 21 patients underwent BOT. Complete recanalization was achieved in 66.7% (8 of 12) patients of CDT group as compared to 81% (17 of 21) patients of BOT group (nonsignificant difference, p = 0.420). BOT group had a short hospital stay (1.8 ± 0.7 vs. 3.5 ± 1.0 days) and required less dose of thrombolytic agent ([2.2 ± 0.4]x10 5 IU versus [8.3 ± 2.9]x10 5 IU of urokinase) as compared to the CDT group and both differences were statistically significant ( p < 0.001). Further, 6-month patency rate was higher in BOT group as compared to CDT group ( p = 0.024). Conclusion The novel BOT technique of DIPS revision allows longer contact time of thrombolytic agent with the thrombi within the occluded stent. This helps in achieving fast recanalization of thrombosed DIPS stent with a significantly less dose of thrombolytic agent required, thus reducing the risk of systemic complications associated with thrombolytic administration.

Budd Chiari Syndrome: Radiological Aspects of the Disease Pertaining to Infertility and Role of Interventional Radiology in Successful Conception.

Background/Aims: To study the association of infertility in patients with Budd Chiari syndrome, radiological aspects of the disease determining infertility and to see if there are improved chances of conception following radiological intervention. Methods: Retrospective search of the hospital records was done and patients with Budd Chiari syndrome, who underwent radiological intervention between January 2016 till October 2021 were initially included. Patients outside the reproductive age group, unmarried patients, patients who did not attempt conception or attempted for less than 1 year and patients having other causes of infertility were excluded. 90 patients were assessed for presence of primary or secondary infertility using infertility questionnaire. In patients with infertility, conception during 1-year follow-up period following radiological intervention, was assessed. Results: 146 patients underwent radiological intervention for Budd Chiari syndrome in the study period. 56 patients meeting the exclusion criteria were excluded from the study and subsequently 90 patients were assessed for infertility. 16.7% (15/90) of our patients with Budd Chiari syndrome had infertility, of which 7 were male, and 8 were female. Infertility is more common in younger age group (mean - 28.8 ± 4.2 years) (P < 0.001). In females, presence of pelvic venous congestion on preprocedural imaging showed significant association with infertility (P < 0.001). 6 (40%) out of 15 of patients with infertility conceived during a 1-year follow-up period after radiological intervention. Conclusion: Infertility is a common in patients with Budd Chiari syndrome, with a prevalence of 16.7%. Pelvic venous congestion is associated with women having infertility. Radiological interventions play important role in management of Budd Chiari and may help to overcome infertility in these patients.