Cirrhosis Support Group

Hi,

Okay, a thread was started about TIPS but whats the difference between that and Banding?

They keep asking my husband if he'd been banded when he had his Endoscopy? They have been surprised he hasn't had it done. (Crappy Doctor)

Now from what I've read both procedures are dangerous and to avoid them if you can?

I don't understand what the point in either is if the so-called help will kill you too?

I do know Banding is keep the varices from bursting, right? And TIPS is a by pass........

Aaahhhh!! Boy am I confused? Sounds almost like they do the same thing, sorta? Or am I just information overload!

Booky,

Banding is done to prevent bleeds and to repair veins after a bleed. I am fortunate that I only have small varices

I took Inderal to lower my blood pressure and prevent bleeds.

I had the tips done because I had a clot in my portal vein. My portal vein's blood supply was compromised and might die if they did not intervene. The doctors need a patent portal vein to hook up a transplant liver to. My docs explained that the procedure has risks, as do many for cirrhosis patients, but could provide me with "a bridge to transplant". It has been 14 months since the tips, and I am doing well considering my liver disease.

Susie

TIPS is a places a portal vein shunt, i.e. a bypass, from the blood vein feeding the liver to the blood vein exiting the liver. This reduces the blood pressure reducing the risk of varices and ascites. The TIPS procedure is 95% successful. http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/whatis/shunt.html

Banding involves placing what is essentially a rubber band around a specific varice to prevent it from rupturing.