Reports from Massachusetts General Hospital Add New Data to Findings in Ascites (Proximal Splenic Artery Embolization for Treatment of Refractory Ascites, a Single-center Experience).

A study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, explored the use of proximal splenic artery embolization (PSAE) as a treatment for refractory ascites in patients with portal hypertension. The research found that PSAE reduced the need for paracentesis sessions and drained ascitic fluid volume over a 12-month follow-up period, with six out of ten patients becoming independent of large-volume paracentesis. The study concluded that PSAE could be a safe and effective alternative to transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for managing refractory ascites in certain patients. [Extracted from the article]