Controversies in Portal Hypertension Diagnosis and Management

Sunday, April 12, 2026

8:30 AM - 9:45 AM ET

Coordinator(s)

Paula Novelli, MD, FSIR (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor of Radiology
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Interventional Radiology Division, United States
Bartley Thornburg, MD

Assitant Professor of Radiology
Northwestern University, United States

This session will provide the attendees with advanced-level, evidence-based, expert opinion information to enhance knowledge and practice in controversial concepts in portal hypertension with emphasis on physiologic changes of cirrhosis, MELD phenotypes, variceal embolization, and portal vein thrombus interventions in patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Learning Objectives:

The attendees will learn that the individual components of the MELD score have varying prognostic significance in TIPS procedure outcomes and risk stratification.
The age old debate on variceal embolization during TIPS will be critically evaluated.
The attendees will learn about timing and appropriateness of interventions for PVT in the non Cirrhotic patient subgroup.

Presentations:

8:30 AM - 8:40 AM ET

MELD Phenotypes: Not All MELD Scores Are Equal
Speaker: Paula Novelli, MD, FSIR (she/her/hers) – University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Interventional Radiology Division
8:40 AM - 8:50 AM ET

When Should IR Intervene on Non-cirrhotic Patients with Acute PVT? Is It Ever Too Early?
Speaker: Bartley Thornburg, MD – Northwestern University
8:50 AM - 9:00 AM ET

Physiologic Changes of Cirrhosis: Why It Matters in Patient Selection for TIPS
Speaker: Hector Ferral, MD, FSIR (he/him/his) – Louisiana State University, New Orleans
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM ET

Variceal Embolization During TIPS: When and How to Do It
Speaker: Sameer Gadani, MD, FSIR – Cleveland Clinic Foundation
9:10 AM - 9:20 AM ET

Variceal Management When TIPS Is Contraindicated
Speaker: Sanjeeva P. Kalva, MD, FACR, FSIR, MBBS, RPVI (he/him/his) – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
9:20 AM - 9:30 AM ET

The Portosystemic Gradient: Why It Matters and How It Should Be Measured
Speaker: Christopher Molvar, MD – Loyola University Medical Center
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM ET

Q&A