Percutaneous intrahepatic portosystemic shunt created via a femoral vein approach.

Creation of a percutaneous intrahepatic portosystemic shunt was attempted in a patient with portal hypertension and acute variceal hemorrhage. Abnormal hepatic venous anatomy precluded formation of the shunt with the standard transjugular method. An alternate technique was devised in which a femoral vein approach was used to construct an intrahepatic channel between the inferior right hepatic vein and the right portal vein. The patient stopped bleeding after the procedure and has not rebled during an 8-month follow-up period.