Bucsics T, et al. - This study was performed to compare the clinical outcomes between expandable polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE)-covered transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) vs repetitive large-volume paracentesis (LVP) plus albumin (A) administration for the treatment of patients with refractory ascites are limited. As compared to LVP+A, ePTFE-TIPS resulted in superior control of ascites without increasing the risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE). ePTFE-TIPS use was not independently associated with transplant-free survival, although it improved 1-year survival in cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites.