Prospective randomized controlled trial comparing a novel and dedicated device with conventional endoscopic techniques for the treatment of buried bumper syndrome (with video).

Background And Aims: Buried bumper syndrome (BBS) is a rare adverse event of PEG tubes. This study compared the newly developed Flamingo device (Fujifilm Medwork GmbH, Höchstadt, Germany) with conventional endoscopic techniques for BBS treatment.

Methods: This prospective, randomized controlled trial compared the Flamingo set (study group) with other endoscopic techniques (control group) for BBS treatment in 6 German hospitals.

mTOR Inhibition Is Most Beneficial After Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Active Tumors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival benefit of sirolimus in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (exploratory analysis of the SiLVER-trial).

Summary And Background Data: Patients receiving LT) for HCC are at a high risk for tumor recurrence. Calcineurin inhibitors have shown evidence to promote cancer growth, whereas mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors like sirolimus have anticancer effects.

Sorafenib in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Results of the Observational INSIGHT Study.

Sorafenib is the only currently approved systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sorafenib therapy in patients with HCC under real-life conditions regarding patient, tumor characteristics, and any adverse events at study entry and at follow-up visits every 2 to 4 months. The current INSIGHT study is a noninterventional, prospective, multicenter, observational study performed in 124 sites across Austria and Germany between 2008 and 2014.

Phase II Study of First-Line Trebananib Plus Sorafenib in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Lessons Learned: Trebananib leveraging anti-angiogenic mechanism that is distinct from the classic sorafenib anti-vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition did not demonstrate improved progression-free survival at 4 months in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).In support of previously reported high Ang-2 levels' association with poor outcome in HCC for patients, trebananib treatment with lower baseline Ang-2 at study entry was associated with improved overall survival to 22 months and may suggest future studies to be performed within the context of low baseline Ang-2.

Background: Ang-1 and Ang-2 are angiopoietins thought to promote neovascularization via activation of the Tie-2 angiopoietin receptor.

Impact of Inter-Laboratory Variability on Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) Score Calculation.

BACKGROUND The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) is a laboratory-based scoring system for assessing the severity of liver disease. Since 16 December 2006, MELD-based organ allocation for liver transplantation (LT) has been established in Germany to prioritize the sickest patients. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of using different laboratories on the calculated MELD score, despite the use of mandatory round-robin testing for comparable of inter-laboratory results.