James D. Perkins – 26 March 2009

Alejandro Espadas de Arias, Simone Elizabeth Haworth, Luca Saverio Belli, Patrizia Burra, Giovambattista Pinzello, Marcello Vangeli, Ernesto Minola, Maria Guido, Patrizia Boccagni, Tullia Maria De Feo, Rosanna Torelli, Massimo Cardillo, Mario Scalamogna, Francesca Poli – 26 March 2009 – In 20% to 30% of infected individuals, hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, for which liver transplantation is the best treatment available.

David G. Koch, Michael Caplan, Adrian Reuben – 26 March 2009 – Hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension are the most common pulmonary vascular complications in patients with cirrhosis. Usually but not universally mutually exclusive, they each may present prior to liver transplantation and, if severe enough, may be a contraindication to transplant. However, there have been a number of case reports describing patients developing pulmonary hypertension de novo after liver transplantation.

Jeong Kyun Seo, Ji Kon Ryu, Sang Hyub Lee, Joo Kyung Park, Ki Young Yang, Yong‐Tae Kim, Yong Bum Yoon, Hae Won Lee, Nam‐Joon Yi, Kyung Suk Suh – 26 March 2009 – Endoscopic intervention is considered to be the primary treatment for biliary stricture after adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with duct‐to‐duct biliary reconstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors of biliary stricture and the clinical outcomes and predictors of failure after endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with balloon dilation (ERC‐D).

Satoshi Yokoyama, Mureo Kasahara, Akinari Fukuda, Shuichi Sato, Futoshi Koda, Atsuko Nakagawa – 26 March 2009

Kristin Mekeel, Adyr Moss, Kunam Sudhakar Reddy, David Douglas, David Mulligan – 26 March 2009 – Sclerosing peritonitis describes the development of a peel or rind of fibrosis that spreads over the peritoneal surface and can lead to recalcitrant ascites, bowel obstruction, and sepsis. It is well described as a complication of peritoneal dialysis, especially with episodes of bacterial peritonitis. It is also a complication of end‐stage liver disease with ascites and liver transplantation.

Gian Luigi Adani, Anna Rossetto, Davide Bitetto, Vittorio Bresadola, Umberto Baccarani – 26 March 2009

Sammy Saab, Maggie Y. Ham, Michael A. Stone, Curtis Holt, Myron Tong – 26 March 2009 – In patients receiving orthotopic liver transplantation, hepatitis B recurrence rates have decreased significantly with the use of various methods for prophylaxis. At present, a combination of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and lamivudine is the standard of care, resulting in recurrence rates of 0% to 11%. Recent data suggest that the addition of adefovir to lamivudine is successful in treating patients with recurrent hepatitis B infection.

Lucy Golden‐Mason – 26 March 2009

Justin Sangwook Ko, Soo Joo Choi, Mi Sook Gwak, Gaab Soo Kim, Hyun Joo Ahn, Jie Ae Kim, Tae Soo Hahm, Hyun Sung Cho, Kyoung Mi Kim, Jae Won Joh – 26 March 2009 – The healthy condition of living donors makes their tolerance to pain particularly low, and clinicians are often challenged to come up with an analgesic technique that is effective yet ensures donor safety. This study compared, in donor right hepatectomy, the efficacy and safety of preoperative intrathecal morphine (ITM) combined with intravenous patient‐controlled analgesia (IV‐PCA) with IV‐PCA alone.