Does non-malignant portal vein thrombosis affect outcomes of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in patients with cirrhosis?

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is no longer considered a contraindication for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). On the other hand, TIPS has shown to improve PVT (1) and reduce the risk of rebleeding as compared with endoscopic band ligation and propranolol albeit without providing a survival benefit (2,3). Also portal vein recanalization and TIPS in cirrhotics with chronic, obliterative PVT has increased the eligibility for liver transplantation and reduced the need for complex surgical grafts during transplantation (4,5).