Abstract
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an effective therapy for portal hypertension complications and can successfully treat variceal bleeding and refractory ascites. Although TIPS is relatively safe, procedural- or shunt-related morbidity can reach 20%, and procedural complications have a fatality rate of 2%. Delayed recognition and treatment of TIPS complications can lead to life-threatening clinical scenarios. Complications can vary from stent migration or malpositioning to nontarget organ injury, TIPS dysfunction, encephalopathy, or liver failure. This review aims to outline the role of diagnostic radiology in assessing post-TIPS complications.
Graphical abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyer TD, Haskal ZJ: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases: The role of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in the management of portal hypertension: Update 2009. Hepatology 51:306, 2010.
Riggio O, Lorenzo R, Lucidi C, et al: Emerging issues in the use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for management of portal hypertension: Time to update the guidelines. Dig Liver Dis 42:462-467, 2010.
Gaba RC, Khiatani VL, Knuttinen MG, Omene BO, Carrillo TC, Bui JT, Owens CA. Comprehensive review of TIPS technical complications and how to avoid them. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2011 Mar;196(3):675-85. doi: https://doi.org/10.2214/AJR.10.4819. PMID:21343513.
Shah RP, Sze DY. Complications During Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Creation. Tech Vasc Interv Radiol. 2016 Mar;19(1):61-73. doi:https://doi.org/10.1053/j.tvir.2016.01.007. Epub 2016 Jan 30. PMID: 26997090.
Suhocki PV, Lungren MP, Kapoor B, Kim CY. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt complications: prevention and management. Semin Intervent Radiol. 2015 Jun;32(2):123-32. doi: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1549376. PMID: 26038620; PMCID: PMC4447874.
Moran DE, Bennett AE, Sheiman RG. Diagnostic radiology of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2013 Aug;34(4):352-64. doi: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.sult.2013.03.001. PMID: 23895907.
Bucher JN, Hollenbach M, Strocka S, Gaebelein G, Moche M, Kaiser T, Bartels M, Hoffmeister A. Segmental intrahepatic cholestasis as a technical complication of the transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt. World J Gastroenterol. 2019 Nov 21;25(43):6430-6439. doi: https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v25.i43.6430. PMID: 31798279; PMCID: PMC6881513.
Farsad K, Kolbeck KJ. Clinical and radiologic evaluation of patients before TIPS creation. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2014 Oct;203(4):739-45. doi:https://doi.org/10.2214/AJR.14.12999. PMID: 25247938.
Vignali C, Bargellini I, Grosso M, et al: TIPS with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stent: Results of an Italian multicenter study. Am J Roentgenol 185:472-480, 2005.
Chen L, Xiao T, Chen W, et al: Outcomes of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt through the left branch vs. the right branch of the portal vein in advanced cirrhosis: A randomized trial. Liver Int 29:1101–1109, 2009.
FidelmanN,KwanSW,LaBergeJM,etal:Thetransjugularintrahepatic portosystemic shunt: An update. Am J Roentgenol 199:746–755, 2012 24.
Ripamonti R, Ferral H, Alonzo M, Patel NH. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt-related complications and practical solutions. Semin Intervent Radiol. 2006 Jun;23(2):165-76. doi: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-941447. PMID:21326760; PMCID: PMC3036368.
Hayashi PH, Mao J, Slater K, et al. Atrial septal perforation from TIPS stent migration. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2004; 15:629–632.
Khan TT, Reddy KS, Johnston TD, et al. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt migration in patients undergoing liver transplantation. Int Surg 2002; 87:279–281.
Haskal ZJ, Cope C, Schlansky-Goldberg RD, et al. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt-related arterial injuries: prospective comparison of large- and small-gauge needle systems. J Vasc Interv Radiol 1995; 6:911–915.
Uflacker R, Reichert P, D’Albuquerque LC, de Oliveira e Silva A. Liver anatomy applied to the placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. Radiology 1994;191:705–712.
Saxon RR, Keller FS. Technical aspects of accessing the portal vein during the TIPS procedure. J Vasc Interv Radiol 1997; 8:733–744.
Lopera JE, Katabathina V, Bosworth B, Garg D, Kroma G, Garza-Berlanga A, Suri R, Wholey M. Segmental liver ischemia/infarction after elective transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation: clinical outcomes in 10 patients. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2015 Jun;26(6):835-41. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvir.2014.11.041. Epub 2015 Feb 7. PMID: 25661437.
Bureau C, Otal P, Chabbert V, Peron JM, Rousseau H, Vinel JP. Segmental liver ischemia after TIPS procedure using a new PTFE-covered stent. Hepatology 2002; 36:155.
Barton RE, et al: TIPS: Short- and long-term results: A survey of 1750 patients. Semin Interv. Radiol 12:364-367, 2008.
Duller D, Kniepeiss D, Lackner C, et al. Biliary obstruction as a complication of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. Liver Transpl 2009;15(5):556–557.
Bächler P, Baladron MJ, Menias C et-al. Multimodality Imaging of Liver Infections: Differential Diagnosis and Potential Pitfalls. Radiographics. 2016;36 (4): 1001–23. doi:https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.2016150196.
Jeffrey RB, Tolentino CS, Chang FC et-al. CT of small pyogenic hepatic abscesses: the cluster sign. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1988;151 (3): 487–9. doi:https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.151.3.487.
Sawhney R, Wall SD, Yee J, Hayward I. Hepatic infarction: an unusual complication of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. J Vasc Interv Radiol 1997; 8:129–132.
Vizzutti F, Arena U, Rega L, et al. Liver failure complicating segmental hepatic ischaemia induced by a PTFE-coated TIPS stent. Gut 2009; 58:582–584.
Manatsathit W, Samant H, Panjawatanan P, Braseth A, Suh J, Esmadi M, Wiedel N, Ingviya T. Performance of ultrasound for detection of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt dysfunction: a meta-analysis. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2019 Jul;44(7):2392-2402. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-019-01981-w. PMID: 30905044.
Saxon RR, Mendel-Hartvig J, Corless CL, et al:B ile duct injury as amajor cause of stenosis and occlusion in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts: Comparative histopathologic analysis in humans and swine. J Vasc Interv Radiol 7:487-497, 1996.
Fanelli F, Salvatori FM, Corona M, et al: Stent graft in TIPS: Technical and procedural aspects. Radiol Med 111:709-723, 2006.
Chopra S, Dodd GD, Chintapalli KN, et al: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: Accuracy of helical CT angiography in the detection of shunt abnormalities. Radiology 215:115-122, 2000.
Stankovic P, Markl M: Usefulness of 4D MRI flow imaging to control TIPS function. Am J Gastroenterol 107:327-328, 2012.
Bureau C, Pagan JCG, Layrargues GP, et al: Patency of stents covered with polytetrafluoroethylene in patients treated by transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts: Long-term results of a randomized multicentre study. Liver Int 27:742-747, 2007.
Pan JJ, Chen C, Geller B, et al: Is sonographic surveillance of polytetrafluoroethylene-covered transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) necessary? A single centre experience comparing both types of stents. Clin Radiol 63:1142-1148, 2008.
Kroma G, Lopera J, Cura M, Suri R, El-Merhi F, Reading J. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt flow reduction with adjustable polytetrafluoroethylene-covered balloon-expandable stents. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2009;20(7):981–986.
Madoff DC, Wallace MJ. Reduced stents and stent-grafts for the management of hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intra- hepatic portosystemic shunt creation. Semin Intervent Radiol 2005;22(4):316–328.
Mizrahi M, Roemi L, Shouval D, et al. Bacteremia and “Endotipsitis” following transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting. World J Hepatol 2011;3(5):130–136.
Mizrahi M, Adar T, Shouval D, Bloom AI, Shibolet O. Endotipsitis-persistent infection of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: pathogenesis, clinical features and management. Liver Int 2010;30(2):175–183.
Kochar N, Tripathi D, Arestis NJ, Ireland H, Redhead DN, Hayes PC. Tipsitis: incidence and outcome-a single centre experience. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2010;22(6):729–735.
Smith MT, Rase B, Woods A, et al. Risk of hernia incarceration following transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt place- ment. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2014;25(1):58–62.
Aguirre DA, Santosa AC, Casola G, Sirlin CB. Abdominal wall hernias: imaging features, complications, and diagnostic pitfalls at multi-detector row CT. Radiographics. 2005 Nov-Dec;25(6):1501–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.256055018. PMID:16284131.
Funding
We declare no financial support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
We declare no conflict of interest.
Informed consent
Our Institutional Research Review Board reviewed and approved this article, with waiver of the informed consent; a written informed consent to the radiologic procedures was obtained after a full explanation of the purpose and nature of the procedure.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Mamone, G., Milazzo, M., Di Piazza, A. et al. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) complications: what diagnostic radiologists should know. Abdom Radiol 47, 4254–4270 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-022-03685-0
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-022-03685-0