One form of therapy for marked portal hypertension and bleeding varices is placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, or TIPS, as seen in this angiogram. A catheter is introduced into the jugular vein, and the location of the hepatic veins and portal system identified angiographically. Then the wire mesh stent is introduced through the liver parenchyma between large branches of these venous channels in order to reduce the pressure in the portal system.