Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33517259›Full record

ArticleDiagnostic and interventional radiology (Ankara, Turkey)2021

Small-diameter TIPS combined with splenic artery embolization in the management of refractory ascites in cirrhotic patients.

Nathan E Frenk, Teodora Bochnakova, Suvranu Ganguli, Nathaniel Mercaldo, Andrew S Allegretti, Daniel S Pratt, Kei Yamada

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Diagnostic and interventional radiology (Ankara, Turkey), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 39% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Refractory Ascites in Patients With Cirrhosis.JGH open : an open access journal of gastroenterology and hepatology · 2025
    Article
  2. Proximal splenic artery embolization for treatment of refractory ascites, a single-center experience.Hepatology research : the official journal of the Japan Society of Hepatology · 2024
    Article
  3. Proximal Splenic Artery Embolization: A Promising and Potential Tool.Journal of clinical and experimental hepatology
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Nathan E FrenkDivision of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Teodora BochnakovaDotter Department of Interventional Radiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon, USA.
Suvranu GanguliDivision of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Nathaniel MercaldoInstitute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Andrew S AllegrettiDivision of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Daniel S PrattLiver Center and Division of Gastrointestinal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Kei YamadaDivision of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Massachusetts General Hospital · USHarvard University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeMaximally decreasing portal pressures with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is associated with improved ascites control but also increased encephalopathy incidence. Since splenic venous flow contributes to portal hypertension, we assessed if combining small-diameter TIPS with splenic artery embolization could improve ascites while minimizing encephalopathy.

methodsFifty-five patients underwent TIPS creation for refractory ascites. Subjects underwent creation of 8 mm TIPS followed by proximal splenic artery embolization (group A, n=8), or of 8 mm (group B, n=6) or 10 mm TIPS (group C, n=41) without splenic embolization. Data were retrospectively reviewed.

resultsIn group A, median portosystemic gradient decreased from 19 mmHg to 9 mmHg after TIPS, and 8 mmHg after subsequent splenic artery embolization. In groups B and C, gradient decreased from 15 mmHg to 8 mmHg and 16 mmHg to 6 mmHg. All patients except for one in group A and two in C had greater than 50% reduction in the number of paracenteses in 3 months. Any postprocedural encephalopathy incidence was 62%, 50%, 83% in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Overall, 20% of subjects with 10 mm TIPS required TIPS reduction/closure compared to 7% of subjects with 8 mm TIPS.

conclusionWe found that 8 mm diameter TIPS provided similar ascites control compared to 10 mm TIPS regardless of splenic embolization. While more patients with 10 mm TIPS required reduction/closure for severe encephalopathy, the study was underpowered for definitive assessment. Splenic embolization might have the potential to further decrease portosystemic gradient and ascites as an alternative to dilation of TIPS to 10 mm minimizing the risk of encephalopathy, but larger studies are warranted.

Indexed as

AscitesPortasystemic Shunt, Transjugular IntrahepaticHumansLiver CirrhosisRetrospective StudiesSplenic ArteryTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID33517259
PMCPMC7963388
OpenAlexW3124074124

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.