Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation using intravascular ultrasound guidance

Purpose: To describe the use of intravascular ultrasound (US) guidance for creation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPSs) in humans. Materials and Methods: The initial 25 cases of intravascular US-guided TIPS were retrospectively compared versus the last 75 conventional TIPS cases during the same time period at the same institution in terms of the number of needle passes required to establish portal vein (PV) access, fluoroscopy time, and needle pass-related complications. Results: Intravascular US-guided TIPS creation was successful in all cases, and there was no statistically significant difference in number of needle passes, fluoroscopy time, or needle pass-related complications between TIPS techniques. Intravascular US-guided TIPS creation was successful in cases in which conventional TIPS creation had failed as a result of PV thrombosis or distorted anatomy. Intravascular US guidance for TIPS creation was additionally useful in a patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome and in a patient with intrahepatic tumors. Conclusions: Intravascular US is a safe and reproducible means of real-time image guidance for TIPS creation, equivalent in efficacy to conventional fluoroscopic guidance. Real-time sonographic guidance with intravascular US may prove advantageous for cases in which there is PV thrombus, distorted anatomy, Budd-Chiari syndrome, or hepatic tumors.