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Background and Aims: Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is treated with anticoagulation therapy, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), angioplasty, and liver transplantation. TIPS is not always technically feasible, due to the complete hepatic venous thrombosis. Direct intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (DIPS) is an alternative method for decompression of portal hypertension. This is a retrospective, single-center study aiming to evaluate the outcome of ultrasound (US)-guided DIPS in patients with BCS., Materials and Methods: Between 2003 and 2016, six patients with BCS were treated with US-guided DIPS. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-covered stents were used in two patients and bare-metal stents in four patients. Mean follow-up time was 71.4 months (range: 21-164). Technical/clinical success, technical difficulties, and complications of DIPS were analyzed., Results: Technical success without complications was achieved in all patients (100%). In one patient, DIPS was performed through the right femoral vein, without significant amelioration of portal hypertension (clinical success 83.3%). In four out of five patients, ascites and variceal bleeding resolved completely and in the other one ascites was relieved. Six- and 12-month primary patency rates were 100% in PTFE-covered stent group when compared with bare-metal stent group, the rates were 33% and 0%, respectively., Conclusion: US-guided DIPS is a safe and effective alternative technique for patients with BCS, with significant clinical improvement.

Aim: To study these characteristics and prognostic patterns in a Greek patient population., Methods: We analyzed a large cohort of cirrhotic patients referred to the department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and the outpatient clinics of this tertiary hospital, between 1991 and 2008. We included patients with established cirrhosis, either compensated or decompensated, and further decompensation episodes were registered. A data base was maintained and updated prospectively throughout the study period. We analyzed differences in cirrhosis aetiology, time to and mode of decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence and ultimately patient survival., Results: Five hundreds and twenty-two patients with median age 67 (range, 29-91) years and average follow up 9 years-10 mo (range, 1-206 mo) were studied. Commonest aetiology was hepatitis C virus (HCV, 41%) followed by alcohol (31%). The median survival time in compensated cirrhotics was 115 mo (95%CI: 95-133), whereas in decompensated patients was 55 mo (95%CI: 36-75). HCV patients survived longer while HBV patients had over twice the risk of death of HCV patients. The median time to decompensation was 65 mo (95%CI: 51-79), with alcoholics having the highest risk (RR = 2.1 vs HCV patients). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients had the highest risk of HCC, alcoholics the lowest. Leading causes of death: liver failure, hepatorenal syndrome, sepsis and HCC progression., Conclusion: Cirrhosis aetiology and decompensation at presentation were predictors of survival. Alcoholics had the highest decompensation risk, HBV cirrhotics the highest risk of HCC and HCV cirrhotics the highest decompensation-free time.

Background: Intragastric balloon placement in association with diet for weight reduction is steadily gaining popularity. However, long-term follow-up studies on the effect of this method in maintaining weight loss are lacking. This study evaluated the long-term outcome following balloon removal in morbidly obese patients who had selected this method for weight loss., Methods: 140 morbidly obese patients who refused bariatric surgery because of fear of complications and mortality, underwent intragastric balloon placement and were followed over a 6- to 30-month period (mean 18.3 months) after balloon extraction. The 34 males and 106 females, with median age 38 years (range 16-62), median weight 122 kg (range 85-203), median BMI 42.3 kg/m(2) (range 35-61.3) and median excess weight (EW) 59 kg (range 29-132), received a Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB). Excess weight loss (EWL) > or =25% when the BIB was removed was considered a success. Weight fluctuations and any further interventional therapy requested by the patients after balloon removal were recorded., Results: 100 patients (71.4%) lost > or =25% of their EW on balloon extraction and were categorized as successes, while 40 patients (28.6%) did not achieve that weight loss and were categorized as failures of the method. During the follow-up period, 44 of the originally successful patients (31.4%) regained weight and were categorized as recurrences, while the remaining 56 patients (40%) maintained their EWL of > or =25% and were considered long-term successes. During follow-up, 45 patients (32.1%) requested and underwent bariatric surgery for their morbid obesity (21 Adjustable Gastric Band, 11 Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy, 13 Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass). Of these, 13 (32.5%) were from the group of 40 patients categorized as failures on BIB removal, 28 (63.6%) were from the group of 44 patients whose obesity recurred, and 4 (7.1%) were from the 56 patents who although they maintained successful weight loss requested further weight reduction., Conclusions: The BIB served as a first step and a smooth introduction to bariatric surgery for morbidly obese patients who initially refused surgical intervention. The incidence of surgical intervention was double in patients who initially experienced the benefits of weight loss and then had obesity recurrence, compared with patients in whom the method failed. Indeed, a significant number of patients were assisted in their efforts to lose and maintain an acceptable weight loss over a 6- to 30-month follow-up period.

Aim: The balance between oxidants and antioxidants can play an important role in the initiation and development of liver diseases. Recently, we have described a new automated method for the determination of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in human serum and plasma., Methods: We measured TAC and corrected TAC (CTAC -abstraction of interactions due to endogenous uric acid, bilirubin and albumin) in 52 patients with chronic liver diseases (41 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), 10 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 13 patients with viral HCV cirrhosis) as well as in 10 healthy controls. In 23 PBC patients measurement were also done 6 mo after treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). The TAC assay was based on a modification of the crocin bleaching assay. The results were correlated with routine laboratory measurements and the histological stage of PBC., Results: There were no significant differences in TAC between the various groups. However, CTAC was considerably increased in the PBC group compared to controls and cirrhotics. Analysis of these patients according to disease stages showed that this increase was an early phenomenon observed only in stages I and II compared to controls, cirrhotics and patients with chronic hepatitis C). After 6 mo of treatment with UDCA, levels of CTAC decreased to those similar to that of controls., Conclusion: Patients in the early stages of PBC present with high levels of corrected total antioxidant capacity and this maybe related to the pathophysiology of the disease. UDCA treatment restores the levels of CTAC to control levels.

Objectives: Information about the epidemiology of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in southern Europe is very limited and especially in Greece non-existent. Our study sought to determine the current epidemiology of acute UGIB (incidence, mortality and case fatality) in the prefecture of Heraklion-Crete., Design/methods: From February 1998 to February 1999, we prospectively obtained data on all patients with acute UGIB in the prefecture of Heraklion-Crete. All patients who were permanent residents of the prefecture of Heraklion, aged 16 years and over with acute UGIB were included in the study., Results: During this period, 353 cases of acute UGIB were included in the study. The overall incidence of acute UGIB is 160/100,000 adults per year with a male-to-female ratio of 1.7 and a mean age 66.2 +/- 17.1 years. The incidence rises from 30 in those aged under 30 years to 609 in those aged over 75 years. The overall population mortality was 9/100,000 adults per year. Overall case fatality during hospitalization was 5.6%. All deaths occurred in patients older than 60 years. One or more comorbid illnesses were noted in 61% of cases. Recent intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was reported in 49% of the cases. The most common recorded diagnoses were erosive disease in 108 (30.5%) patients, duodenal ulcer in 97 (27.4%) and gastric ulcer in 75 (21.2%). Rebleeding occurred in 41 patients (12%). Twelve patients (3.3%) had surgery during hospitalization., Conclusions: The overall annual incidence of acute UGIB in the prefecture of Heraklion-Crete is one of the highest reported in Europe and increases appreciably with age. Both population mortality and case fatality are slightly lower compared to those reported in most previous studies.