Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The continued rise in HCC incidence and mortality emphasizes the need…
Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a potentially reversible clinical syndrome that occurs in patients with cirrhosis, ascites and liver failure, as well as in patients with acute liver failure or alcoholic…
Up to 50% of patients with cirrhosis have esophageal varices at initial endoscopy, and nearly all patients with varices have a high portal pressure, that is, an hepatic venous pressure…
The association of hepatic steatosis with inflammatory changes and fibrosis in obese patients was first described over half a century ago. Although initially thought to be a relatively benign entity,…
Acute liver failure (ALF), also referred as “fulminant hepatic failure,” is a rare syndrome characterized by rapid onset of severe hepatic dysfunction in the absence of preexistent liver disease. The…
Often regarded as the gold standard for fibrosis assessment, liver biopsy does carry associated risks given its invasive nature. Moreover, liver biopsy is not a true gold standard owing to…
Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a worldwide epidemic affecting up to 3% of the world’s population. Approximately 80% of people infected with HCV will go on to develop…
The ultimate goal of treating a chronic infectious disease is the eradication of the infectious agent to prevent organ damage or death. The natural history of untreated chronic hepatitis B…
David A. Sass, MD, AGAF, Guest Editor It is my distinct privilege to be the guest editor of the September 2011 issue of Gastroenterology Clinics of North America entitled, “Hepatology…
Esophageal motility disorders may be an explanation of dysphagia in patients after exclusion of esophageal structural lesions by endoscopy and radiography and eosinophilic esophagitis by histology. The best defined motility…
