EUS Guided Portal-systemic Pressure Gradient Measurement to Predict Treatment Response and Outcomes of Varices to Endoscopic Variceal Ligation in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis.

EUS-guided PPGM is performed under monitored anaesthesia. The linear array echoendoscope is passed from the mouth into the stomach and duodenum, as with a standard exam. Under endoscopic ultrasound guidance, a 25 gauge EUS needle (Echotip, Cook Medical, USA) primed with heparin 100 USP/ml is then placed across the stomach or duodenal wall and through the liver parenchyma into the portal vein (Figure 3). A pressure measurement is then obtained from the compact pressure transducer attached to the handle of the needle (Figure 4). Three separate measurements are made with re-priming of heparin (less than 0.5 ml). The needle is then removed from the portal vein and liver, if necessary. The process is repeated for the hepatic vein (Figure 5). The EUS - PPG is calculated by subtracting the average of the three hepatic vein pressure measurements from the average of the 3 direct portal vein pressure measurements.