Ultrasound Elastography Assessment of Spleen and Liver Stiffness Before and After Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) Procedure

University of Kansas

Status: Completed

Conditions: Portal Hypertension

Treatments: Procedure: Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03427164

STUDY00004361

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary purpose of this project is to determine if acute monitoring of shunt patency via ultrasound elastography measurements of splenic stiffness before and after TIPS placement results in reduced morbidity and mortality from shunt failure.

Full description

Portal hypertension is a condition that is caused by various disorders of the liver, including cirrhosis, hepatitis, portal vein thrombosis, or Budd-Chiari Disease. Portal hypertension can lead to the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, called ascites, or put patients at risk for bleeding of the esophagus, stomach, and bowel. In certain patients, portal hypertension is treated by placement of a Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS).

Elastography is a newer exam which measures the consistency, or softness/stiffness, of various organs in the body. It is performed with ultrasound by sliding a transducer across the abdomen. Elastography is most commonly used to evaluate the liver, as disorders that cause damage to the liver result in stiffer liver tissue. The spleen has also been shown to get stiffer in the setting of portal hypertension.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• All patients who undergo TIPS placement at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) are eligible for participation in this study

Exclusion criteria

• Patients under 18 years of age
• Patients with prior splenectomy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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30 participants in 1 patient group

TIPS

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will have measurements taken of spleen stiffness before and after TIPS. Participation will last about 12 months, with visits at 1-2 weeks post-TIPS, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months.

Treatment:

Procedure: Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt