Efficacy and safety of splenic artery embolization for intractable ascites using Amplatzer vascular plug versus coil after living donor liver transplantation

PURPOSE Intractable ascites (IA) is an uncommon but challenging complication after liver transplantation. Splenic artery embolization (SAE) modulates the splenic artery and regulates portal flow. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SAE using the Amplatzer vascular plug (AVP) versus coil embolization for post-living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) IA. METHODS This retrospective study evaluated consecutive patients from 1 center who received LDLT (n =1410) between March 2006 and August 2019. The inclusion criteria for SAE were splenomegaly with IA after LDLT. RESULTS Totally 15 patients underwent SAE for post-LDLT IA. Eleven patients who received AVP embolization (age, 51.2 [+ or -] 15.1 years; range, 8-63 years; 5 men and 6 women) were compared with 4 patients receiving coil embolization (age, 30.8 [+ or -] 30.8 years; range, 1.5-63 years; 2 men and 2 women). AVP and coil embolization both significantly reduced portal vein hyperflow (plug/coil; P