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Effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt on changes in the small bowel mucosa of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension

  • Original Article—Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary Tract
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

The introduction of capsule endoscopy (CE) has facilitated the detection of mucosal changes in the small bowel, and such mucosal changes have been noted in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension; these changes are described as portal hypertensive enteropathy. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) on the small bowel mucosal changes detected by CE in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension.

Methods

TIPS was performed in fifteen cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. All patients underwent CE before and 2 weeks after TIPS. The small bowel mucosal changes were defined as edema, angiodysplasia-like lesions, red spots, and small bowel varices. Changes in the portosystemic pressure gradient (PSG) and CE findings were evaluated.

Results

Before TIPS, small bowel edema was detected in all 15 patients, angiodysplasia-like lesions in 7, and red spots in 14 patients. The PSG decreased significantly, from 21.2 ± 2.6 before TIPS to 8.9 ± 3.3 mmHg (p < 0.001) after the procedure. After TIPS, the small bowel edema was attenuated in 8 of the 15 patients. In two patients with angiodysplasia-like lesions and 4 with red spots, these lesions were attenuated after TIPS. The average score for small bowel edema and the grade of red spots were reduced significantly after TIPS (2.3 ± 0.7–1.8 ± 0.6, p < 0.005 and 1.6 ± 0.9–1.3 ± 0.7, p < 0.05, respectively). Small bowel varices were seen in 4 patients before TIPS and all these varices disappeared after TIPS.

Conclusions

In cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension, small bowel edema, red spots, and small bowel varices were attenuated after TIPS. Portal hypertension may be an important factor in the development of small bowel mucosal changes.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8603, Japan

    Yoko Matsushita, Yoshiyuki Narahara, Shunji Fujimori, Hidenori Kanazawa, Norio Itokawa, Takeshi Fukuda, Yoko Takahashi, Chisa Kondo, Hideko Kidokoro, Masanori Atsukawa, Katsuhisa Nakatsuka & Choitsu Sakamoto

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  1. Yoko Matsushita
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  2. Yoshiyuki Narahara
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  3. Shunji Fujimori
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  4. Hidenori Kanazawa
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  5. Norio Itokawa
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  6. Takeshi Fukuda
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  7. Yoko Takahashi
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  8. Chisa Kondo
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  9. Hideko Kidokoro
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  10. Masanori Atsukawa
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  11. Katsuhisa Nakatsuka
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  12. Choitsu Sakamoto
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Correspondence to Yoshiyuki Narahara.

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Matsushita, Y., Narahara, Y., Fujimori, S. et al. Effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt on changes in the small bowel mucosa of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. J Gastroenterol 48, 633–639 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-012-0660-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-012-0660-6

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