Effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt on changes in the small bowel mucosa of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension

Background The introduction of capsule endoscopy (CE) has facilitated the detection of mucosal changes in the small bowel, and such mucosal changes have been noted in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension; these changes are described as portal hypertensive enteropathy. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) on the small bowel mucosal changes detected by CE in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. Methods TIPS was performed in fifteen cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension. All patients underwent CE before and 2 weeks after TIPS. The small bowel mucosal changes were defined as edema, angiodysplasia-like lesions, red spots, and small bowel varices. Changes in the portosystemic pressure gradient (PSG) and CE findings were evaluated. Results Before TIPS, small bowel edema was detected in all 15 patients, angiodysplasia-like lesions in 7, and red spots in 14 patients. The PSG decreased significantly, from 21.2 ± 2.6 before TIPS to 8.9 ± 3.3 mmHg ( p