This article first appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of Synergy magazine

Dr. Bill Culp, chief of the Soft Tissue Surgery Service, developed a novel treatment for intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (IHPSS) more than a decade ago. IHPSS is a congenital abnormality of blood vessels that prevents blood from effectively getting to the liver. In a procedure known as percutaneous transvenous coil embolization (PTCE), extraneous blood vessels are sealed off and blood flow is redirected to liver tissue, allowing it to grow and resume its normal function of removing toxins from the blood.

PTCE is minimally invasive, using interventional radiology (real-time x-ray guidance) techniques. The entire procedure is performed in the neck region through a small puncture in a blood vessel, making recovery quicker and more comfortable.

Culp published the first prospective trial on the use of PTCE to treat IHPSS in 2017, with promising results. That trial demonstrated that PTCE treatment of IHPSS was effective in 92% of dogs, and they were able to be taken off medical management. The procedure is now considered the treatment-of-choice at most facilities worldwide.

Culp recently treated Colonel, a 1-year-old Irish Wolfhound. While the disease can be diagnosed in any dog, the incidence within Irish Wolfhounds is noteworthy; several studies have shown it to be a familial disorder likely genetic in origin. Colonel’s owner reports he is in great spirits since his successful surgery.

Culp has published several papers on IHPSS that have led to the advancement of procedures like PTCE as the standard of care for the disease. As he treats more Irish Wolfhounds with IHPSS, a database of patients will be established with the goal of further researching both IHPSS and PTCE for that specific breed.

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