[Management of complicated Barrett's esophagus. Observational study carried out in a regional hospital].

The incidence of Barrett's esophagus, complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease, is rising in western countries. It is the same for esophageal adenocarcinoma, of which it is the main contributing factor. This retrospective study seeks to report the incidence of these pathologies observed in a regional hospital center and to describe their management.

A multicentre interventional study to assess blood-borne viral infections in Belgian prisons.

Background: Prevalence data on viral hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and HIV infection in prison are often scarce or outdated. There is currently no systematic screening for these blood-borne viral infections (BBV) in Belgian prisons. There is an urgency to assess the prevalence of these BBV to inform policymakers and public healthcare.

[Efficacy of macro-clips for perforations and fistulas following endoscopic or surgical procedures. Retrospective analysis of 25 consecutive cases].

Objective: The aim of our retrospective study is to analyse the results of endoscopic macro-clips used for closing intestinal breaches in the real life. Post-endoscopic, spontaneous perforations and surgical fistulas are included. Our results are compared with principal published series.

Eliminating viral hepatitis C in Belgium: the micro-elimination approach.

Background: Hepatitis C virus is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease and liver-related deaths worldwide. The estimated prevalence of chronic hepatitis C viral infection among the general Belgian population was 0.57% (n = 64,000) in 2015.

[Incidence and treatment of complications observed after endoscopic mucosal resection of superficial digestive tumours in a regional general hospital].

Superficial digestive tumours resection by endoscopic mucosal resection and sub-mucosal dissection causes very few complications according to the results obtained in expert centers. This work reports the rate of complications observed in a regional hospital, also comparing the results of their therapeutic management. The first 100 patients treated by endoscopic mucosal resection and sub-mucosal dissection, conducted by conventional techniques, were studied.

Belgian experience with direct acting antivirals in people who inject drugs.

Background And Aim: Hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) has become a curable disease due to the development of direct acting antivirals (DAA). The WHO has set a target to eliminate HCV completely. Therefore, people who inject drugs (PWID) also need to be treated.

Mitigating the burden of hepatitis C virus among people who inject drugs in Belgium.

Backgroud And Aims: In 2010, there were an estimated 10 100 PWID in Belgium and 43% (34%-57%) were HCV infected. Understanding HCV transmission dynamics in high-risk populations and assessing the potential impact of improved HCV treatment strategies requires robust epidemiological data and mathematical modeling.

Methods: CV transmission was modeled using cohorts to track HCV incidence and prevalence among active PWID in the general PWID population, OST and NSP.

A non-interventional phase IV Belgian survey to assess the antiviral effectiveness of pegylated interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin treatment according to the stage of liver fibrosis in previously untreated patients with genotype 1/4/5/6 chronic hepatitis C (PRACTICE).

Background And Study Aims: This was an observational, non-interventional, multicenter, phase IV study, in patients with genotype 1/4/5/6 chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The primary objectives were to evaluate SVR in patients with no or minimal fibrosis (METAVIR F0-F1) versus well established fibrosis (F2-F4), and to estimate response on Weeks 12, 24 and 48 on treatment in previously untreated patients with genotypes 1/4/5/6 CHC.

Patients And Methods: 538 patients treated with pegylated interferon alfa 2b 1.

[Clinical case of the month. Liver transplantation for hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma].

The epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare malignant vascular lesion that may occur within the liver. In the hepatic multifocal and bilobar forms, liver transplantation is indicated as the curative management. In this case report, the authors describe the diagnosis and the management of a 52-year-old woman who was diagnosed with hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and who underwent successful liver transplantation.

[Pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas revealed by rupture of esophageal and gastric varices secondary to biliary cirrhosis due to bile duct compression].

Pseudo-papillary tumors of the pancreas are rare and usually occur in young women. We report a case with a very rare presentation (rupture of esogastric varices complicating biliary cirrhosis secondary to bile duct compression by a pancreatic tumor). After biological and radiological explorations, a duodenopancreatectomy was performed.

[Risk of contamination by hepatitis C of endoscopes utilized in gastroenterology hospital service].

Unlabelled: Transmission of hepatitis C virus by gastrointestinal endoscopy has been suggested especially therapeutic procedures. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of contamination of the endoscopes by hepatitis C virus and to assess the efficacy of a semi-automatic disinfection procedure.

Methods: In 19 patients with chronic replicative hepatitis C, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with different invasive procedures was performed.

Hepatic granulomas following liver transplantation. Clinicopathologic features in 42 patients.

Liver granulomas have long been known to pose diagnostic problems for pathologists; however, their prevalence and associated etiologic factors have not been studied in liver transplant patients. We reviewed 3632 liver biopsy specimens from 563 patients at two institutions and identified 42 patients with posttransplant granulomas. A possible or probable etiologic factor was identified in 30 (71%) cases.