Advances in endohepatology
Wim Laleman, Joachim Mertens, Emma Vanderschueren, Michael Praktiknjo, Jonel Trebicka- Gastroenterology
- Hepatology
Over the last decade, the number of endoscopic procedures relevant to patients with liver disease not only increased but also altered and expanded in terms of indications and applications. “Endohepatology” refers to the integration of advanced endoscopy within the practice of hepatology with endoscopic ultrasound as one of the main pillars. Current applications under the umbrella of endo-hepatology focus on advanced diagnostics and oncological, vascular, and metabolic interventions. These involve, amongst others, EUS-guided liver biopsy, EUS-guided portal pressure gradient measurement, coil and glue embolization of gastric varices…
In addition to its conceptually attractive technical and innovative characteristics, “endo-hepatology” is also an appealing practical option for daily practice as it can be offered as a “one-stop-clinic” intervention where comprehensive endoscopic diagnostic and/or therapeutic testing is performed in a single outpatient visit.
In this review, we will discuss current trends and future developments within endo-hepatology and the remaining hurdles to overcome.