Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2024; 30(32): 3743-3747
Published online Aug 28, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i32.3743
Road to recompensation: Baveno VII criteria and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in liver cirrhosis
Muhammad Aarish Anis, Ammara Abdul Majeed, Shahab Abid
Muhammad Aarish Anis, Ammara Abdul Majeed, Shahab Abid, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Sindh, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
Author contributions: Anis MA and Majeed AA reviewed the literature; Anis MA and Majeed AA drafted the initial editorial; Abid S revised the editorial for important intellectual content.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have nothing to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Shahab Abid, FACG, FRCP (Hon), MBBS, PhD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Stadium Road, P O Box 3500, Sindh, Karachi 74800, Pakistan. shahab.abid@aku.edu
Received: March 28, 2024
Revised: July 15, 2024
Accepted: July 29, 2024
Published online: August 28, 2024
Processing time: 152 Days and 1.3 Hours
Abstract

Liver cirrhosis has long been considered a point of no return, with limited hope for recovery. However, recent advancements, particularly the Baveno VII criteria and the utilization of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), have illuminated the concept of hepatic recompensation. In this editorial we comment on the article by Gao et al published in the recent issue. This editorial provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of understanding cirrhosis, the criteria for recompensation, and the efficacy of TIPS in achieving recompensation. We discuss key findings from recent studies, including the promising outcomes observed in patients who achieved recompensation post-TIPS insertion. While further research is needed to validate these findings and elucidate the mech-anisms underlying recompensation, the insights presented here offer renewed hope for patients with decompensated cirrhosis and highlight the potential of TIPS as a therapeutic option in their management.

Keywords: Decompensated hepatic cirrhosis; Hepatic recompensation; Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt; Variceal bleeding; Refractory ascites

Core Tip: Advancements in the understanding of hepatic recompensation and the use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) offer new hope for patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. Studies have shown promising results in achieving recompensation according to Baveno VII criteria post-TIPS insertion, highlighting the potential of TIPS as a therapeutic option. Further research is warranted to better understand the mechanisms of recompensation and optimize treatment strategies for patients with decompensated cirrhosis.