Intrahepatic arterial localizer guided transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement: Feasibility, efficacy, and technical success assessed by a case series-a STROBE- compliant article

Transjugular intra-hepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) had been considered a standard procedure in patients suffering from portal hypertension. The most challenging step in TIPS placement is blind puncture of the portal vein. We had established a localization method by introducing an Intra-Hepatic Arterial based puncture directing Localizer (IHAL) with the assistance of the enhanced computed tomography (CT) reconstruction. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and technical success of this method. From June 2018 to August 2018, 10 consecutive patients suffering from refractory ascites or esophageal gastric bleeding by liver cirrhosis were included in this retrospective study to evaluate feasibility, efficacy, and technical success of enhanced CT assisted IHAL-guided puncture of the portal vein. As a control, 10 patients receiving TIPS placement before Jun 2018 with cone beam CT (CBCT)-guided puncture were included to compare the reduction of portal-systemic pressure gradient (PSPG), portal entry time (PET), the number of puncture, dose area product (DAP) and contrast medium consumption. Technical success was 100% in the study group (IHAL-guided group) and in 90.0% of the control group (CBCT-guided group). Appropriate IHAL point could be achieved in all patients under the enhanced CT reconstruction assistance. The median number of punctures and DAP in IHAL group were significantly less than those in CBCT group. The reduction of PSPG, PET, and contrast medium consumption in IHAL group showed no significant differences than those in CBCT group. Enhanced CT reconstruction assisted IHAL-guided portal vein puncture is technically feasible and a reliable tool for TIPS placement resulting in a significant reduction of the number of punctures and DAP.