This is a single-center, prospective, open-label, parallel-group exploratory clinical study designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation combined with standard medical therapy in patients with refractory overt hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. The study also aims to explore whether adjunctive prebiotic supplementation may improve clinical outcomes and support gut microbiota reconstruction after fecal microbiota transplantation.
A total of 26 participants with recurrent overt hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS despite standard therapy with rifaximin and lactulose will be enrolled. All participants will continue to receive standard medical therapy, including rifaximin and lactulose. During an episode of overt hepatic encephalopathy, all participants will receive fecal microbiota transplantation via a nasojejunal tube at a dose of 100 mL per administration, twice daily, for 3 consecutive days. Participants will be assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the fecal microbiota transplantation group or the fecal microbiota transplantation plus prebiotic group. Participants in the combination group will receive dietary fiber prebiotic supplementation at 24 g/day for 4 weeks in addition to the same fecal microbiota transplantation and standard medical therapy.
Participants will be followed for up to 6 months. The primary efficacy assessment will focus on recurrence of hepatic encephalopathy, including recurrence rate, time to first recurrence, episode grade, and duration. Secondary assessments will include time to reversal of hepatic encephalopathy, West Haven grade, blood ammonia, liver and kidney function, inflammatory markers, liver function scores, neurocognitive function, and changes in gut microbiota composition. Safety assessments will include adverse events, fecal microbiota transplantation-related adverse events, infection, worsening hepatic encephalopathy, hospitalization, and serious adverse events. This study is expected to provide preliminary clinical evidence for a microbiota-based therapeutic strategy in patients with refractory overt hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS.