Correlation of endoscopic ultrasound-guided portal pressure gradient measurements with hepatic venous pressure gradient: a prospective study.

Background: Hepatic venous portal gradient (HVPG) measurement remains the gold standard for estimating portal pressure gradient (PPG). This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided PPG and HVPG in patients with chronic portal hypertension.

Methods: Patients with chronic portal hypertension in whom HVPG assessment was clinically indicated were invited to undergo transjugular HVPG and EUS-PPG with a 22-G needle in separate sessions for comparison.

Enhanced recovery after low- and medium-risk liver transplantation. A single-center prospective observational cohort study.

Background & Aims: Few studies have fully applied an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol to liver transplantation (LT). Our aim was to assess the effects of a comprehensive ERAS protocol in our cohort of low- and medium-risk LT patients.

Methods: The ERAS protocol included pre-, intra-, and post-operative steps.

Surveillance and diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) appears in most of cases in patients with advanced liver disease and is currently the primary cause of death in this population. Surveillance of HCC has been proposed and recommended in clinical guidelines to obtain earlier diagnosis, but it is still controversial and is not accepted worldwide.

Aim: To review the actual evidence to support the surveillance programs in patients with cirrhosis as well as the diagnosis procedure.

The ART-SCORE is not an effective tool for optimizing patient selection for DEB-TACE retreatment. A multicentre Spanish study.

Introduction: The appropriate selection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who are eligible for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) remains a challenge. The ART score has recently been proposed as a method of identifying patients who are eligible or not for a second TACE procedure.

Objective: To assess the validity of the Assessment for Retreatment with TACE (ART) score in a cohort of patients treated with drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE).

New advances in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of deaths in cirrhotic patients and the third cause of cancer related deaths. Most HCC are associated with well known underlying risk factors, in fact, HCC arise in cirrhotic patients in up to 90% of cases, mainly due to chronic viral hepatitis and alcohol abuse. The worldwide prevention strategies are conducted to avoid the infection of new subjects and to minimize the risk of liver disease progression in infected patients.

Optimal technique and response of doxorubicin beads in hepatocellular cancer: bead size and dose.

Background/aims: It has been shown that the drug-eluting beads loaded with doxorubicin (DEBDOX) are effective for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the optimal safety and efficacy still remain to be established by using various bead sizes, doxorubicin doses, and the degree of stasis.The aim of this study was to determine the optimal safety and efficacy of DEBDOX in the treatment of HCC.

Acute and chronic hemodynamic changes after propranolol in patients with cirrhosis under primary and secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding: a pilot study.

Background And Aim: Prophylactic treatment of variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients with beta-blockers is effective in only some patients. Our aim was to determine whether the response of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) to the intravenous administration of propranolol predicts the response after chronic oral propranolol treatment.

Patients And Methods: We included prospectively cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices under primary prophylaxis (PP) and secondary prophylaxis (SP).

Successful endovascular treatment of a large idiopathic azygos arch aneurysm.

Idiopathic azygos vein aneurysms are rare and typically present as incidentally discovered mediastinal masses. Treatment is advisable when the aneurysm enlarges or is complicated by compression symptoms, rupture, or thromboembolic disease. The authors describe successful endovascular treatment of a symptomatic azygos vein aneurysm by means of embolization with coils at the azygos vein close to the dilated arch but respecting the bulb itself.

Usefulness of surveillance programmes for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in clinical practice.

Background/aims: Surveillance programmes (SPs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis intend to diagnose the tumour in its early stages when an effective therapy can be applied. The aims of this study have been to compare the survival of patients with HCC being diagnosed or not in SPs, and to establish a more accurate profile of the best target population.

Methods: From January 1996 to June 2005, 290 patients with HCC were included.

Comparison of staging systems to predict survival in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Some new staging systems in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been described in the last years. The aim of this study was to compare the survival-predicting capacity of some variables and the prognostic classifications.

Methods: Demographic, clinical, analytical variables and tumour characteristics were collected in a study including 115 patients with HCC.