Concomitant Hepatic Encephalopathy and Refractory Ascites: Successful Treatment with Staged Embolization of Two Large Portosystemic Shunts and Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Placement

A patient with cirrhosis, refractory ascites, and two large competitive portosystemic shunts presented with uncontrollable acute exacerbation of chronic hepatic encephalopathy (HE). A staged procedure was performed by first performing embolization of a large mesogonadal shunt to treat the HE. Three months later, a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) was created to address the ascites. A large paraumbilical vein shunt was embolized at TIPS placement to minimize the risk of recurrent HE. At 9-month follow-up, the ascites was well controlled with medical management with little or no HE. © 2007 SIR.