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BACKGROUND: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has proved to be a successful bridge to liver transplantation in the management of variceal bleeding. The safety and ease of this technique has now challenged standard surgical approaches to portal hypertension. To define the role of TIPS, we prospectively studied patients undergoing this procedure for variceal bleeding and/or ascites. METHODS: From September 1991 to September 1992, 45 patients entered a protocol that included assessment of liver chemistries, ammonia levels, coagulation profiles, liver synthetic function by caffeine-antipyrine clearance, ultrasonographic evaluation of hepatic and portal veins, portogram and direct measurement of portal vein pressures, upper endoscopy, computed tomography for liver volume and ascites, and formal neuropsychiatric evaluation. These studies were repeated at 3-month intervals or more frequently if bleeding or complications occurred. RESULTS: Technical success and control of bleeding were achieved in all patients with only three (7%) variceal rebleeds from recurrent portal hypertension. Complete and permanent control of clinical ascites was noted in all patients with this complication. Five of six deaths occurred from sepsis and multiorgan failure in intensive care unit-bound patients with Child class C liver disease. No serial changes were noted in liver chemistries; however, progressive loss of liver volume and prolongation of caffeine-antipyrine clearance was observed in most patients. In addition, hepatic vein stricture or shunt stenosis seen in nine patients (20%) required TIPS revision, whereas the frequent appearance of symptomatic encephalopathy was a main indication for transplantation in 11 of 14 patients. CONCLUSIONS: TIPS successfully controls variceal bleeding and may serve as a novel approach to control of diuretic resistant ascites. The uncertain long-term patency and progressive decline in synthetic function emphasize the importance of initiating proper trials comparing TIPS with other management strategies before indiscriminant use of this technique is seen.

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A prospective randomized trial compared the effectiveness of low-dose warfarin (LDW) to sequential compression devices (SCD) for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis in 95 patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients were 39 years of age or older, with no history of previous venous disease. Bilateral lower-extremity venography was used for thrombi detection. Venous thrombi occurred in 12 patients (all calf) on LDW (26.6%) and 3 patients with SCDs (one calf, two thigh) (6.0%). The incidence of DVT was significantly higher in the LDW group (P less than .006). In this study of average-risk patients, the use of SCDs significantly outperformed LDW as a prophylactic agent. However, the thrombi that did occur with SCDs were more critical.

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The case histories and radiologic studies of eight liver transplant recipients who developed a mucocele of the allograft cystic duct remnant were retrospectively evaluated. All patients had clinical and/or laboratory evidence of biliary obstruction or cholangitis from 2 weeks to 3.3 years following transplantation. Cholangiographic, ultrasound (US), and computed tomography (CT) images were available for review in eight, five, and four patients, respectively. Cholangiograms demonstrated an extrinsic mass compressing the common hepatic duct in seven of eight patients. US and CT showed fairly well- to well-defined round fluid collections adjacent to the common hepatic duct in three and two patients, respectively. The findings of this study suggest that the detection at cholangiography of an extrinsic mass compressing the common hepatic duct appears to be specific for a mucocele of the allograft cystic duct remnant. CT and US images may offer confirmatory evidence.

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In children it is often necessary to ligate the splenic artery and the main collateral supply to the spleen during liver transplantation. The complication of splenic infarction has been observed on postoperative CT in such patients. The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence and CT appearance of splenic infarction and to correlate its occurrence with a vascular cause related to the operative procedure. During a 2 year period, 26 of 94 (28%) children receiving liver transplants developed splenic infarction as shown by CT. Infarction generally occurred within 2 weeks of transplantation. Computed tomography demonstrated variable portions of splenic involvement with hypodense lesions. Twenty-two of 39 (56%) patients whose splenic artery was ligated developed splenic infarctions. Only 4 of 55 (7%) patients whose splenic artery was left intact had splenic infarctions on postoperative CT. We conclude that there is an increased incidence of splenic infarction in pediatric liver transplant recipients. The incidence of infarction is related to ligation of the splenic artery and collateral pathways.

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During the past 4 years, the authors performed catheter drainage in 15 patients (five adults and 10 children) with 16 hepatic allografts who had intrahepatic bilomas after occlusion of the hepatic artery. Ten of the 16 (62%) allografts (in four adults and six children) were replaced within 4 months of drainage: Nine were replaced because of biliary sepsis or abscess, and one was replaced because of the absence of biliary-enteric communication. Most of these patients had cholangiographic evidence of extensive bile duct necrosis. In two patients, retransplantation was avoided for longer than 2 years. One of these needed a new liver because of multiple central biliary strictures. Four patients have now lived for 30-44 months since initiation of drainage without needing new livers. Despite drainage, the outcome of most of these allografts has been poor. However, in some liver transplant recipients who have had hepatic artery thrombosis, biloma drainage can prolong allograft survival and prevent retransplantation.

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Stenosis of the portal vein anastomosis occurred in three pediatric patients seven to 42 months after transplantation. Dominant symptoms were those of portal hypertension and hypersplenism. Diagnosis was made by angiography. Successful surgical reconstruction was possible in all three patients.

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Stenosis of the suprahepatic inferior vena caval anastomosis is a rare but serious vascular complication after liver transplantation. It may cause significant obstruction to venous drainage from the allograft liver and result in the Budd-Chiari syndrome with massive ascites and pleural effusion causing respiratory compromise. The authors report two such cases in which percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the stenotic anastomosis was performed. This nonsurgical approach resulted in resolution of ascites, pleural effusion, and respiratory distress in both patients. They conclude that PTA is a therapeutic alternative with minimal risk compared with surgical repair or retransplantation and should be considered the initial treatment of choice in selected patients.

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Four liver transplant recipients with recurrent cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) within the allograft biliary tree are described. One patient received a transplant for known CCA and three received transplants for end-stage primary sclerosing cholangitis, in which CCA was found within the hepatectomy specimen. All four developed biliary obstruction due to malignant stricture at the bile duct anastomosis 9-15 months after transplantation. Diagnosis of recurrent CCA was made by means of transhepatic brush biopsy in two patients. Recognition that the biliary tract, especially the anastomosis, is a site of recurrence of CCA should facilitate prompt diagnosis by means of transhepatic brush biopsy in patients with biliary obstruction due to stricture. In addition, because of an association between CCA and primary sclerosing cholangitis, preoperative bile duct biopsy should be considered for liver transplantation candidates with the latter condition. Positive biopsy findings may preclude transplantation.

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In a retrospective study of proved pseudoaneurysms (PAs) in 15 patients with transplanted organs (11 liver, three kidney, one pancreas), the results of computed tomography (CT), duplex sonography, and angiography were reviewed. Of the 15 cases of PA, eight occurred at the arterial anastomosis and seven were nonanastomotic. Three of the eight anastomotic PAs were caused by infection. Of the seven nonanastomotic PAs, four were caused by percutaneous biopsy, two were caused by infection, and one was of undetermined cause. In nine (60%) of the 15 patients the PAs were incidentally detected at imaging studies performed for other reasons. Diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion. CT was performed in nine cases and duplex sonography in ten. The diagnosis of PA was made with CT in six (67%) patients and with duplex sonography in five (50%). CT and duplex sonography could not enable diagnosis when the PA was small, when the arterial anastomosis was not included in the field of study, or when enhancement with intravenously administered contract material was suboptimal. Angiography depicted the PAs in all 15 patients. In three liver transplant recipients with gastrointestinal tract bleeding, the causative PAs were detected only with angiography.

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