Comparison of long-term outcomes of splenectomy with periesophagogastric devascularization and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in treating cirrhotic portal hypertension patients with recurrent variceal bleeding

PURPOSE: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and splenectomy with periesophagogastric devascularization (SPD) are widely used to treat cirrhotic portal hypertension (PH) and prevent variceal rebleeding. However, direct comparisons between these two approaches are rare. This study was designed to compare the long-term outcomes of TIPS and SPD in patients with cirrhotic PH and variceal rebleeding. METHODS: The study included cirrhotic PH patients with a history of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding between 18 and 80 years of age who were admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2012 to January 2022. Patients were enrolled into two groups according to TIPS or SPD was performed. Baseline characteristics were matched using propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: A total of 230 patients underwent TIPS, while 184 underwent SPD. PSM was carried out to balance available covariates, resulting in a total of 83 patients in the TIPS group and 83 patients in the SPD group. Patients in SPD group had better liver function during 60 months follow-up. Five-year overall survival rates in SPD group and TIPS group were 72 and 27%, respectively, at 2 years were 88 and 86%, respectively. The 2- and 5-year freedom from variceal rebleeding rates were 95 and 80% in SPD group and 80 and 54% in TIPS group. CONCLUSIONS: SPD is clearly superior to TIPS in terms of OS and freedom from variceal rebleeding in patients with cirrhotic PH. In addition, SPD improved liver function in patients with cirrhotic PH.