Objective To analyze the safety and clinical efficacy of three types stents of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in treatment of cirrhosis with portal hypertension.Methods Totally 1 086 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension underwent TIPS for the first time.All patients were divided into bare stent group (group A),covered stent-group (group B) and combined stents group (group C).The rates of symptom improvement,shunt insufficiency,re bleeding,survival and major complications in 2 years after TIPS were analyzed and compared.Results Totally 1 690 stents were placed in 1 086 patients.The overall technical success rate was 100％;2.53％ (10/396) emergency patients dead due to uncontrolled gastrointestinal bleeding,and 2.78％ (11/396) emergency patients,0.84％ (5/593) bleeding stopped patients dead with acute liver funtional failure.In 2-year following-up,the overall survival rate of group A,group B,group C were 83.78％ (186/222),88.36％ (281/318),96.34％ (526/546),and the difference was statistical significant (x2=4.15,P=0.04).The shunt insufficiency rates of group A,group B,group C were 39.64％ (88/222),22.33％ (71/ 318),11.17％ (61/546),and the difference was statistical significant (x2 =4.15,P=0.04),The rates of rebleeding of group A,group B,group C were 31.53％ (70/222),16.89％ (54/318),7.14％ (39/546),and the difference was statis tical significant (x2 =9.91,P=0.01).The rates of hepatic encephalopathy of group A,group B,group C were 21.62％ (48/222),22.96％ (73/318),19.23％ (105/546),and the difference had no statistical significant (x2 =1.00,P=0.06).Conclusion TIPS is an effective way to relieve portal hypertension and complications in patients with cirrhosis.The safety and clinical efficacy can be improved by 8 mm shunt with double stent technique.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of galectin-3 expression on fine needle aspiration (FNA) smearsandtissueslicesof thyroid tumors in distinguishing benign from malignant tumors. Methods Galectin-3 expression on FNA smears and tissue slices of thyroid tumors from 72 thyroidectomy specimens was detected by immunochemical method (SP method). Results Galectin-3 expression was high on FNA smears and tissue slices of malignant thyroid tumors, whereas there was no or low expression of galectin-3 on FNA smears and tissue slices of benign thyroid tumors. The difference of positive rates of galectin-3 expression between malignant and benign thyroid tumors was significant on both FNA smears and tissue slices (? 2=43.73 and ? 2=48.16, respectively, both P0.05). Conclusion Galectin-3 expression is different between benign and malignant tumors. Galectin-3 expression level is higher in FNA smears and tissue slices of malignant thyroid neoplasms than that of benign ones, suggesting that galectin-3 is a reliable molecular marker in distinguishing benign from malignant thyroid tumors. Galectin-3 expression with immunochemical method may be used in diagnosing benign or malignant thyroid tumors.