TIPS vs. endoscopic treatment for prevention of recurrent variceal bleeding: a long-term follow-up of 126 patients

Abstract

Recurrent bleeding from gastroesophageal varices is the most common life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. According to guidelines, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) should not be used as a first-line treatment and should be limited to those bleedings which are refractory to pharmacologic and endoscopic treatment (ET). To our knowledge, long-term studies evaluating the role of elective TIPS in comparison to ET in patients with recurrent variceal bleeding episodes are rare.

Keywords

• transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
• endoscopic treatment
• portal hypertension
• esophageal and gastric varices
• recurrent variceal bleeding
• survival