Budd–Chiari Syndrome: Diagnostic Challenges and Step-wise Management in Clinical Practice

Please use this link:  https://uke-de.zoom-x.de/j/62903918563?pwd=KjvpaDAGTwa2SFigJqa52noySzaQO0.1 

Speakers:

• Dr Aurélie Plessier – Expert Hepatologist, Hôpital Beaujon
• Dr Juan Carlos García-Pagán - Expert Hepatologist, Hospital Clínic Barcelona

Moderator:

• Dr Andreea Fodor – Hepatologist in training, Hospital Clínic Barcelona

Agenda:

Budd-Chiari Syndrome (BCS) is a rare, but potentially life-threatning cascular liver disease, most commonly associated with underlying prothrombotic conditions such as myeloproliferative neoplasms. Clinical presentation is heterogenous and frequently mimics cirrhosis, leading to delayed diagnosis. Early recognition and systematic prothrombotic work-up are essential. Treatment follows a stepwise strategy, yet identifying the limits of anticoagulation and the optimal timing for angioplasy or TIPS remain complex. This Talk will will address these key decision points for better clinical recognition and management of BCS.

Points/aspects to be discussed during the talk:

• When portal hypertension is not cirrhosis: recognizing BCS
• Clinical relevance of identifying the underlying prothrombotic disorder
• Limits of anticoagulation and predictors of treatment failure
• Indication and challenges of angioplasty and TIPS in BCS

Short bios:

Aurélie Plessier is a hepatologist at Beaujon Hospital, where she has led the National Referral Centre for Vascular Liver Diseases (CRMVF) since 2006. She is internationally recognized for her expertise in vascular liver disorders and portal hypertension. She earned her MD in Hepatology and Gastroenterology (2000) and a PhD in Physiology and Pathophysiology from Paris Cité University (2021), along with postgraduate training in biostatistics and medical ethics. Her clinical and research work focuses on splanchnic vein thrombosis, non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, and rare liver disease complications. She has contributed to major national and international guidelines, including AFEF, European Association for the Study of the Liver, and Baveno recommendations, and serves on the steering committee of VALDIG and the scientific committee of ERN RARE-LIVER. Dr. Plessier also coordinates the French rare liver disease network FILFOIE and is an active reviewer for leading hepatology journals.

Juan Carlos García-Pagán is a Senior Consultant in Hepatology and Head of the Hepatic Hemodynamics Section at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, as well as Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona. He completed his medical degree in Barcelona (1983), specialized in Gastroenterology and Hepatology (1988), and earned his PhD in 1990. He joined the Liver Unit at Hospital Clinic in 1994 and was a visiting professor at the University of North Carolina (1996–1997). His work combines clinical practice and research at IDIBAPS and CIBEREHD, focusing on portal hypertension, variceal bleeding, liver vascular disorders, and thrombosis. Dr. García-Pagán has authored over 270 original articles, 58 reviews, and 35 book chapters, and delivered more than 200 international lectures. He has contributed to major clinical guidelines, including leading the European Association for the Study of the Liver vascular liver disease guidelines. He has supervised over 20 PhD theses and mentored more than 100 fellows. He is also co-founder and former chair (until 2019) of the EASL-VALDIG group.

Andreea Fodor is a hepatologist in training at Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, where she is part of the Liver Unit and the IDIBAPS research group Liver Disease and the Vascular System (LiVas). Her work combines clinical training with research as a support specialist, focusing on vascular liver diseases, portal hypertension, and non-invasive diagnostic approaches in chronic liver disease. Dr. Fodor has contributed to international research collaborations and publications in hepatology, with particular interest in portal hypertension and advanced liver disease assessment.