1. Influence of shunt occlusion on liver volume and functions in hyperammonemic cirrhosis patients having large porto-systemic shunts: a randomized control trial.
- Author
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Mukund A, Choudhury SP, Tripathy TP, Ananthashayana VH, Jagdish RK, Arora V, Singh SP, Mishra AK, and Sarin SK
- Subjects
- Humans, Ammonia, Treatment Outcome, Liver Cirrhosis complications, Liver Cirrhosis therapy, Balloon Occlusion methods, Hepatic Encephalopathy complications
- Abstract
Background and Aims: Spontaneous-portosystemic-shunts (SPSS) in cirrhosis deprive the liver of nutrient-rich portal blood and contribute to recurrent hepatic encephalopathy (HE). We evaluated the effects of shunt occlusion and redirecting portal blood to liver on its volume and functions., Methods: Cirrhosis patients presenting with recurrent HE and having SPSS were randomized to receive standard medical treatment (SMT) or shunt occlusion (SO). The later was performed by plug-assisted or balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration. The primary endpoint was change in liver volume after a minimum follow-up of 3 months. Secondary objectives included clinical course, liver disease severity indices, arterial ammonia levels and bone density., Results: Of 40 enrolled patients, 4 in SMT and 2 in SO group were lost to follow-up. The SO was complete in 17 and partial in one, achieving non-recurrence of HE in 17 (94.4%). In these patients, the mean liver volume increased (baseline 1040 ± 335 ml to 1132 ± 322 ml, 8.8% increase, p < 0.001) and was observed in 16/18 (88.89%) patients. In the SMT group, the liver volume decreased (baseline 988 ± 270 ml to 904 ± 226 ml, 8.6% reduction, p = 0.009) during the same period. Serum albumin increased in SO group (2.92 ± 0.40 g/dl to 3.30 ± 0.49 g/dl, p = 0.006) but reduced in SMT group (2.89 ± 0.43 g/dl to 2.59 ± 0.65 g/dl, p = 0.047). After SO, the patients showed a reduction in serum-ammonia levels (181.06 ± 86.21 to 107.28 ± 44.53 μ/dl, p = 0.001) and an improvement in MELD-Na and bone density compared to SMT group. There were no major adverse events following shunt occlusion., Conclusion: Occlusion of large SPSS results in improving the volume and synthetic functions of the liver by restoring hepato-petal portal flow besides reducing serum-ammonia level and recurrence of HE., Clinicaltrials: gov number, NCT03293459., (© 2022. Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver.)
- Published
- 2023
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