BISCIT: Biliary interventions in critically ill patients with secondary sclerosing cholangitis-a study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, controlled parallel group trial.

Background: Progress of cholangitis to cholangiosepsis is a frequent observation in patients with secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients (SSC-CIP). Adequate biliary drainage may reduce episodes of cholangiosepsis and therefore stabilize liver function and improve survival. The primary objective of the BISCIT study is to demonstrate that scheduled biliary interventions will reduce incidence of cholangiosepsis, liver transplantation, or death in patients with SSC-CIP.

Endoscopic vacuum assisted closure (E-VAC) of upper gastrointestinal leakages.

Objectives: Endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (E-VAC) of leaks of the upper gastrointestinal tract is an increasingly applied endoscopic technique. Data on indication, clinical success, complications and prognostic factors are still sparse.

Methods: Patients treated with E-VAC between 2012 and 2019 at a tertiary referral center have been retrospectively analyzed.

Pathophysiological Implications of Urinary Peptides in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known to be associated with protein alterations and extracellular fibrous deposition. We investigated the urinary proteomic profiles of HCC patients in this prospective cross sectional multicentre study. 195 patients were recruited from the UK (Coventry) and Germany (Hannover) between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2019.

Discovery, validation and sequencing of urinary peptides for diagnosis of liver fibrosis-A multicentre study.

Background: Liver fibrosis is a consequence of chronic inflammation and is associated with protein changes within the hepatocytes structure. In this study, we aimed to investigate if this is reflected by the urinary proteome and can be explored to diagnose liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease.

Methods: In a multicentre combined cross-sectional and prospective diagnostic test validation study, 129 patients with varying degrees of liver fibrosis and 223 controls without liver fibrosis were recruited.

Transjugular liver biopsy and hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement in patients with and without liver cirrhosis.

Background: Transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement are diagnostic procedures for patients with acute and chronic liver diseases. Technical execution of TJLB and HVPG may be challenging in patients with advanced liver disease.

Objective: We studied consecutive TJLB and HVPG procedures and investigated technical success, complications, quality of biopsies, indications and treatment changes in patients with and without liver cirrhosis.

Secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients has a poor outcome but lower tumour incidence than primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Background: Secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients (SSC-CIP) is an emerging disease with grim prognosis.

Objective: Our aim was the analysis of prognostic factors, long-term outcome and risk of tumour development in SSC-CIP compared with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) patients.

Methods: Retrospective analysis between 2008 and 2018.

Endoscopic decompression of acute intestinal distension is associated with reduced mortality in critically ill patients.

Background: Endoscopic placement of intestinal decompression tubes is a feasible technique for treatment of acute intestinal dilation. Given the heterogeneity of the underlying diseases leading to intestinal obstruction data on the significance of endoscopic procedures for treatment of these conditions are sparse.

Methods: In the study period from 2008 to 2019 all patients receiving a decompression tube were identified by retrospective chart review and analyzed.

Bile and urine peptide marker profiles: access keys to molecular pathways and biological processes in cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Detection of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains a diagnostic challenge. We established diagnostic peptide biomarkers in bile and urine based on capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS) to detect both local and systemic changes during CCA progression. In a prospective cohort study we recently demonstrated that combined bile and urine proteome analysis could further improve diagnostic accuracy of CCA diagnosis in patients with unknown biliary strictures.

In vitro investigation of a new dynamic cervical implant: comparison to spinal fusion and total disc replacement.

Purpose And Methods: For the treatment of degenerative disc diseases of the cervical spine, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) still represents the standard procedure. However, long term clinical studies have shown a higher incidence of pathologies in the adjacent segments. As an alternative to spinal fusion, cervical total disc replacement (cTDR) or dynamically implants were increasingly used.