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What is Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)?
TIPS stands for Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt. It is a surgical procedure used to treat complications of portal hypertension, which is elevated blood pressure in the portal vein that carries blood from the intestines to the liver.
The high blood pressure in the veins may be a life-threatening condition. When medical treatment fails, TIPS is the only viable treatment to prevent bleeding while awaiting liver transplantation.
TIPS involves the creation of a shunt or a passageway within the liver to divert blood flow and reduce portal hypertension.
It is performed under fluoroscopy, a type of X-ray guidance. A small incision is made in the neck and the catheter, a thin flexible tube, is threaded through the internal jugular vein into the liver. The catheter is guided to the site where the portal vein and the hepatic vein meet within the liver.
At this site, the interventional radiologist creates a connection, or a shunt, between the portal vein and the hepatic vein using a stent, which is a small metal mesh tube. The stent creates a direct pathway for the blood to bypass the liver and reduce portal hypertension.
TIPS can effectively prevent the complications associated with portal hypertension, however, it is not without risks and potential complications, including encephalopathy, which is a neurological complication caused by the shunting of the blood.
It is important to discuss this procedure and its potential complications with your healthcare professional if you are experiencing portal hypertension.
