Use of the Viatorr expanded polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stent-graft for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation in children: initial clinical experience

Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2008 Jul:31 Suppl 2:S192-6. doi: 10.1007/s00270-007-9262-8. Epub 2008 Jan 9.

Abstract

Four children, three boys and one girl, with a median age of 9 years 8 months, underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE)-covered nitinol stent. The stent-graft was successfully placed in all four patients without any complication. Clinical and biochemical improvement was noted in all four patients during follow-up. Radiological follow-up with use of duplex ultrasound showed a recurrent stenosis of the shunt 180 days after stent-graft implantation in one patient. This was treated with placement of an additional stent-graft, re-expanding completely the recurrent stenosis. In the other three patients, the stent-graft remained fully patent until the end of the study or until orthotopic liver transplantation. These preliminary results suggest that use of the Viatorr ePTFE-covered stent-graft in children is safe and feasible, with potentially the same high patency rate and improved clinical outcome as reported in adult patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Alloys
  • Angiography
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Diseases / therapy*
  • Male
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene
  • Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic / instrumentation*
  • Recurrence
  • Stents*

Substances

  • Alloys
  • nitinol
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene