Monthly Archives: April 2013

Clinical Pearl

Remember that kidney failure in the hepatitis C cirrhotic patient might be related to the virus itself! Cryoglobulinemia, membranous glomerulonephritis, MPGN and polyarteritis nodosa are all associated with HCV, and therefore you might entertain a serologic workup that includes a … Continue reading

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Definition: cold ischemic time

Cold ischemic time begins when the organ is taken from the donor cadaver and placed in solution for transport and ends after the tissue reaches physiological temperature during implantation procedures.  More than six hours of cold ischemic time puts the … Continue reading

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Haiku: portopulmonary hypertension

High right heart pressures Vasoactive drugs might help- To allow transplant

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Terrorism, liver; Venezuelan equine encephalitis

Venezuelan equine encephalitis is a mosquito -borne viral pathogen that can cause a flu-like human illness with headache and fever.  It can be associated with elevated transaminases.

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Clinical Pearl

When doing a liver biopsy, don’t forget that the costal vasculature runs alongside the bottom edge of the rib.  Therefore the appropriately guided needle should run along the top of the lower rib of your intercostal space.

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Journal Club: statins prevent hepatocellular carcinoma

Today’s journal club focused on whether statins prevent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).  It was a meta-analysis from a recent Gastroenterology publication (see link below).  Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) influence a long cascade of reactions that may affect neoangiogenesis (ie. Ras pathway), and are … Continue reading

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