Role of Interventional Radiology in Complications of Portal Hypertension

Portal hypertension, a consequence of end-stage liver disease and liver cirrhosis can lead to significant morbidity and mortality for patients through abnormal fluid accumulation as well as the formation of portosystemic shunts and varices. Treatment of the sequelae of portal hypertension can be achieved through endovascular management by referral to an interventional radiologist on an outpatient or emergent basis as required. Current techniques include the placement of peritoneovenous shunts and tunneled peritoneal drains, the creation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, or the obliteration of shunts via balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO). In addition, newer procedural techniques utilizing vascular plugs and coils have reduced risks of the traditional BRTO procedure. Modified-BRTO procedures, known as plug-assisted and coil-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (PARTO and CARTO, respectively) have become the standard of care at many institutions for the treatment of gastric varices and portosystemic shunt-induced hepatic encephalopathy. This review examines the most recent literature of the management of portal hypertension by interventional radiologists, evaluating treatment options as well as the clinical and technical outcomes of TIPS, peritoneovenous shunts, tunneled peritoneal drains, BRTOs, and modified-BRTOs as well as future directions in the development of procedural techniques.