TIPS Versus Portacaval Shunt for Acute Bleeding Varices in Cirrhosis

TIPS Versus Portacaval Shunt for Acute Bleeding Varices in Cirrhosis

In unselected cirrhotic patients with acute portal hypertension-related bleeding to compare the effectiveness in control of bleeding, mortality rate, duration of life, quality of life, and economic costs of two widely used treatment measures: (1) emergency transjugular intrahepatic portal-systemic shunt (TIPS), and (2) emergency portacaval shunt.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients with UGI bleeding who are shown to have the findings of cirrhosis and esophagogastric varices or portal hypertensive gastropathy and require 2 or more units of blood transfusion will be included.

Exclusion Criteria:

• None