International Hepatology

Portal hypertension is a severe complication of chronic liver disease, directly associated with clinical outcomes such as ascites and variceal bleeding. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an effective treatment that significantly reduces portal pressure. Portal pressure gradient (PPG) is commonly used to assess portal pressure in patients undergoing TIPS. Recently, a study conducted by Dr. Guohong Han's team from Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital that published in the Journal of Hepatology, explored the optimal timing of measurement and hemodynamic target of PPG in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding undergoing covered stent TIPS. Dr. Yong Lv from Xijing Hospital is the first author of this article, and Dr. Guohong Han is the corresponding author.

Portal hypertension is a severe complication of chronic liver disease, directly associated with clinical outcomes such as ascites and variceal bleeding. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an effective treatment that significantly reduces portal pressure. Portal pressure gradient (PPG) is commonly used to assess portal pressure in patients undergoing TIPS. Recently, a study led by Dr. Guohong Han's team from Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, published in the Journal of Hepatology, explored the optimal timing and hemodynamic target for measuring PPG in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding after undergoing TIPS with covered stents.

Interventional therapy is an emerging clinical discipline and an important part of minimally invasive medicine. It stands as the third major clinical discipline, distinct from traditional internal medicine and surgery. Interventional therapy allows the treatment of various diseases through tiny channels a few millimeters in diameter created in the skin, using advanced imaging technologies such as DSA, ultrasound, and CT, without the need for large incisions to expose the lesion. Special needles, catheters, drugs, or stents are employed to treat the affected organs and tissues. To provide cutting-edge advancements in interventional hepatology, Hepatology Digest has partnered with Dr. Xuefeng Luo from West China Hospital of Sichuan University to create the "Interventional Therapy in Hepatobiliary Diseases" column. This monthly column aims to share the latest research, convey standardized treatment concepts, and track the latest developments in interventional therapy, with the goal of benefiting experts, researchers, and frontline medical workers in the field.

A recent clinical study conducted by Dr. Jean-Charles Nault and his team at the Cordeliers Research Center of Sorbonne University, France, was published in Gut journal. This study reveals the dynamic changes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its clinical significance. The findings provide new perspectives and tools for the clinical management of HCC, highlighting the potential of ctDNA monitoring as an important adjunct in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.