Hi Allan, Welcome to the group! You never need to apologize for asking questions on this forum, and no question is ever considered too insignificant to ask. TIPS is an acronym for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. Wow, that's a mouthful! TIPS is a small tube that is placed between the portal vein and the hepatic vein. Because the cirrhotic liver is scarred, sometimes important veins become blocked. The shunt (TIPS) creates an additional route for blood to be carried from your liver back to your heart. TIPS is used most often to help control bleeding from esophageal varices (swollen vessels in the throat and upper digestive system), and to help relieve refractory (uncontrollable) ascites(the buildup of excess fluid in the belly due to leakage from veins). If you want to read more discussions about TIPS here on MDJ just type "tips procedure" within the oval search box at the top of the page. It will have a small magnifying glass pictured in the oval. Another good thing for you would be to read the web site that our senior group leader, mpmom, has created. You can reach it from: http://livingwithcirrhosis.weebly.com As a newbie you may also learn some helpful things in the Frquently Asked Questions section. Just click on FAQ at the bottom of any page to get there. Be sure to keep in touch Mr. K! Always feel free to ask questions or share your experiences here. -Bj-  Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right..Forget about, scratch that, Pray for the ones who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it!-Catherine Yen |
