E. Jenny Heathcote, Julie Stone, Karen Cauch‐Dudek, Raoul Poupon, Olivier Chazouilleres, Keith D. Lindor, Jan Petz, E. Rolland Dickson, Reneé E. Poupon – 30 December 2003 – As ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) delays the need for transplantation, this could result in patients with more comorbid disease, therefore more likely to have a worse outcome posttransplantation. The aim of this study is to compare posttransplantation outcome in patients who received UDCA versus placebo who subsequently required a liver transplant.

Geoffrey W. McCaughan, Jenean Spencer, David Koorey, Scott Bowden, Angeline Bartholomeusz, Margaret Littlejohn, Deborah Verran, Albert K.K. Chui, A.G. Ross Sheil, Robert M. Jones, Stephen A. Locarnini, Peter W. Angus – 30 December 2003 – Recurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation. Recently, antiviral therapy, such as lamivudine, has become available for prophylaxis against HBV reactivation posttransplantation and for the treatment of HBV recurrent disease.

Santiago Mera, Julio Santoyo, Miguel Angel Suárez, José Antonio Bondía, Antonio Jes Cabello, Manuel Jiménez, Marta Ribeiro, José Luis Fernández‐Aguilar, José Antonio Pérez‐Daga, Agustín de la Fuente – 30 December 2003 – Transplantation of a small liver into a large patient may cause problems with correct reperfusion of the graft because of torsion of the hepatic pedicle, leading to malfunction of the transplanted organ. We describe the case of a 60‐year‐old man with alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus who received a small‐sized liver graft.

Menahem Ben‐Haim, Sasan Roayaie, Ming Q. Ye, Swan N. Thung, Sukru Emre, Thomas A. Fishbein, Patricia M. Sheiner, Charles M. Miller, Myron E. Schwartz – 30 December 2003 – Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a rare tumor with an unpredictable course and prognosis. The aim of this study is to describe our experience with liver resection, as well as transplantation, in the treatment of this tumor. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, pathological findings, and postoperative results in a series of 11 patients presenting between 1990 and 1998.

Robert L. Carithers – 30 December 2003 – Liver transplantation has revolutionized the care of patients with end‐stage liver disease. Liver transplantation is indicated for acute or chronic liver failure from any cause. Because there are no randomized controlled trials of liver transplantation versus no therapy, the efficacy of this surgery is best assessed by carefully comparing postoperative survival with the known natural history of the disease in question.

C. A. Schirren, M.‐C. Jung, T. Worzfeld, M. Mamin, G. B. Baretton, N. H. Gruener, J. T. Gerlach, H. M. Diepolder, R. Zachoval, G. R. Pape – 30 December 2003 – Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is a successful treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐associated end‐stage liver disease worldwide. T lymphocytes and their cytokines are believed to have a pivotal role in the defense against HCV and in allograft rejection.

Michael Charlton – 30 December 2003

Ikuo Hirano, Andres T. Blei – 30 December 2003

Pieter Honkoop, Robert A. de Man, Hubert G.M. Niesters, Pieter E. Zondervan, Solko W. Schalm – 30 December 2003 – Acute exacerbations of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection occur after withdrawal of lamivudine therapy in approximately 16% of patients and are considered of little clinical significance. We observed “lamivudine withdrawal hepatitis” accompanied by jaundice and incipient liver failure, but also followed by complete recovery and viral clearance.

Patrick Marcellin, Jean‐Pierre Benhamou, Jenny Heathcote, Henri Bismuth, Valler Desmet, Jaime Guardia, Anna Lok, Karl H. Meyer Zum Buschenfeld, Luigi Pagliaro, Gustav Paumgartner, Juan Rodes, Sheila Sherlock – 30 December 2003