Chronic Hepatitis C Infection Treated with Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents and Occurrence/Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Does It Still Matter?

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant risk factor for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Traditionally, the primary prevention strategy for HCV-associated HCC has focused on removing infection through antiviral regimes. Currently, highly effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) offer extraordinary success across all patient categories, including cirrhotics.

Location and allocation: Inequity of access to liver transplantation for patients with severe acute-on-chronic liver failure in Europe.

There is growing evidence that liver transplantation (LT) is the most effective treatment for acute-on-chronic liver failure grade-3 (ACLF-3). This study examines whether and how this evidence translates into practice by analyzing the variability in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, listing strategies, and LT activity for patients with ACLF-3 across transplantation centers in Europe. Consecutive patients who were admitted to the ICU with ACLF-3, whether or not they were listed and/or transplanted with ACLF-3, between 2018 and 2019 were included across 20 transplantation centers.

Carrying on with liver transplantation during the COVID-19 emergency: Report from piedmont region.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is an emergency worldwide. In Italy, liver transplant activity was carried on, but despite all efforts, a 25% reduction of procured organs has already been observed during the first 4 weeks of the outbreak.

Aims: To analyze if our strategy and organization of LT pathway during the first two months of the COVID-19 emergency succeeded in keeping a high level of LT activity, comparing the number of LT in the first two months with the same period of time in 2019.

Vascular Remodeling of Visceral Arteries Following Interruption of the Splenic Artery During Liver Transplantation.

Splenic artery (SA) ligation can be performed during liver transplantation (LT) to avoid portal hyperperfusion, which is involved in the pathogenesis of both small-for-size and SA syndrome. The SA can also be used as an inflow for arterial reconstruction. Exceptionally, SA interruption or agenesis has been associated with positive remodeling of collateral arteries supplying the spleen via the left gastric artery (LGA), short gastric vessels, and the gastroepiploic arcade (GEA), with subsequent severe upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.

Incidence of hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) according to its severity and temporal grading classification.

Objectives: To evaluate hepatic encephalopathy (HE) incidence after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and classify by gravity and frequency.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of 75 patients with no previous episodes of HE who underwent TIPS between 2008 and 2014 with clinical follow-up after 6 and 12 months. Patient risk factors evaluated include age, INR (international normalized ratio), creatinine, bilirubin, and MELD score (Model for End-of-stage Liver Disease).