Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement at index portal hypertensive decompensation (anticipant TIPS) in cirrhosis and the role of early intervention in variceal bleeding and ascites.

BACKGROUND: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement improves survival in patients with refractory/recurrent acute variceal bleeding (RAVB) and refractory ascites/hydrothorax. Recently, early TIPS was shown to reduce rebleeding and improve survival compared to the conventional TIPS. We aimed to study outcomes in patients with cirrhosis undergoing TIPS at first significant portal hypertensive (PHT) decompensation (termed anticipant TIPS) compared to those undergoing TIPS for recurrent or persistent PHT complications (conventional) and compared the former to matched controls on standard medical management (SMT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, biochemical, and liver disease severity parameters and survival at baseline and post-intervention in cirrhosis patients at two major hepatobiliary intervention centers undergoing anticipant (n = 27) or conventional TIPS (n = 30) and compared the former group to matched historical controls on SMT (n = 35). RESULTS: Baseline parameters were comparable between both the groups, including the Child-Pugh class and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores. Length of stay in the intensive care unit, post-procedure admission rates, and sepsis events were higher among patients undergoing conventional TIPS (p < 0.05). Post-TIPS, at 1 year, overall and sub-grouped survivals were   better in patients undergoing anticipant TIPS. On further sub-group analysis, based on the PHT events and stratified based on Child-Pugh and MELD scores, a higher proportion of patients survived after anticipant TIPS at 1 year. Compared to SMT, patients undergoing anticipant TIPS had significantly lesser hospitalizations, recurrence of varices, and ascites at 1 year, reducing hospital visits and financial burden. CONCLUSIONS: Anticipant TIPS at the first significant PHT event could improve liver-related events and survival compared to   standard medical management and conventional TIPS, respectively.

Spastic quadriparesis caused by anomalous vertebral artery compression of spinal cord at the cervico-medullary junction.

Vascular compression of medulla or spinal cord at the cervico-medullary junction has been commonly described in the literature and is often attributed to dolichoectasia of the vertebrobasilar arteries. We describe a case of anomalous course of the cervical segments of the bilateral vertebral arteries which were seen entering the spinal canal directly after exiting the transverse foramen of axis and causing significant cord compression at the cervico-medullary region leading to spastic quadriparesis.