Efficacy of interventional radiology in the management of portal hypertension: A narrative review

Portal hypertension is associated with numerous adverse effects, including the formation of gastroesophageal varices and a portal vein general circulation shunt. Portal hypertension can lead to portal blood flow into the liver and a subsequent reduction in liver function. Clinical interventions can be hampered by a concurrent reduction in circulating platelets associated with increased splenic activity. Pharmaceutical interventions for the treatment of complications associated with portal hypertension have achieved various degrees of success. However, an effective therapeutic strategy for portal hypertension has not yet been established. A literature search was performed using “PubMed.” Database between 1966 and January 2021 using the following keywords: portal hypertension, interventional radiology, balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration, transjugular retrograde obliteration of gastric varices, percutaneous transhepatic obliteration, partial splenic embolization, and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting. In this narrative review, we summarize the application of interventional radiology in patients with portal hypertension, including techniques for embolization of collateral veins and portal pressure reduction. These up-to-date interventional radiology techniques can be used to treat portal hypertension. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.