Percutaneous hydrodynamic thrombectomy of acute thrombosis in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) : A feasibility study in five patients

To evaluate the feasibility of percutaneous hydrodynamic thrombectomy in restoring patency of acutely thrombosed stent-shunts after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Percutaneous hydrodynamic thrombectomy was performed in five consecutive patients with angiographically documented complete thrombosis of the stent-shunt which developed within 2 weeks after the TIPS procedure. Thrombectomy was performed with a hydrolytic suction thrombectomy catheter, introduced via a transjugular approach. In all patients, immediate restoration of patency of the stent-shunt was achieved after deploying additional stent(s) to cover residual adherent mural thrombus. In two patients early reocclusion occurred. Percutaneous hydrolytic suction thrombectomy in acutely thrombosed intrahepatic portosystemic shunts is technically feasible.