Evaluation of Hemodynamic Parameters Following Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)

The long-term goal of this proposal is to improve survival in patients with end stage liver disease following TIPS placement. Given that the most common indications for TIPS placement are also defining features of decompensated cirrhosis, specifically hemorrhage and refractory ascites, the overall health of this patient population is extraordinarily complex. One notable circulatory impact of cirrhosis is the increase in total blood volume in concert with a disproportionate increase in splanchnic blood volume. Therefore, at the time of TIPS placement, a patient may experience a marked increase in central blood volume that may lead to cardiac dysfunction. Considering that a central feature of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is attenuated response to stress, it is conceivable that some perioperative cardiovascular complications could be attributed to the patient's baseline health rather than an isolated effect of the procedure alone. By instituting measures to identify patients that may be at increased risk for an adverse outcome, this proposal hopes to offer a new paradigm for managing TIPS patients in the acute postoperative setting. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to derive better correlates between non-invasive and invasive measurements of cardiac function.