Efficacy of covered and bare stent in TIPS for cirrhotic portal hypertension: A single-center randomized trial

We conducted a single-center randomized trial to compare the efficacy of 8 mm Fluency covered stent and bare stent in transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for cirrhotic portal hypertension. From January 2006 to December 2010, the covered (experimental group) or bare stent (control group) was used in 131 and 127 patients, respectively. The recurrence rates of gastrointestinal bleeding (18.3% vs. 33.9%, P = 0.004) and refractory hydrothorax/ascites (6.9% vs. 16.5%, P = 0.019) in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The cumulative restenosis rates in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5-years in the experimental group (6.9%, 11.5%, 19.1%, 26.0% and 35.9%, respectively) were significantly lower ( P