Perioperative and Surgical Treatment of Portosystemic Shunts

1 Hour of RACE Credit!

This course covers the diagnosis, peri-operative management, and surgical treatment of patients with portosystemic shunts. We will discuss treatment options for both extrahepatic and intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, with an emphasis on the treatment of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts via interventional radiology.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the typical signalment and clinical signs of a patient with a portosystemic shunt, including potential differences between intrahepatic and extrahepatic portosystemic shunts

2. Understand appropriate pre-operative medical treatment of a patient with a portosystemic shunt

3. Understand the options for surgical attenuation of extrahepatic portosystemic shunts

4. Understand the benefits of percutaneous transvenous coil embolization (PTCE) of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts over traditional surgical attenuation of intrahepatic shunts

5. Understand potential post-operative complications associated with shunt attenuation surgery and how to mitigate the risk of these complications

6. Understand appropriate post-operative management of a patient following shunt attenuation surgery, including a typical monitoring schedule

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