ERN RARE-LIVER Clinical Exchange Programme: Reports from Barcelona

The ERN RARE-LIVER Clinical Exchange Programme offers clinicians and healthcare professionals the opportunity to gain experience and share knowledge across member and partner centres, fostering collaboration and improving care for patients with rare liver diseases.

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“My experience at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona within the ERN RARE-LIVER exchange program was very enriching and rewarding. In particular, I attended the hepatic hemodynamics unit, where every day I had the opportunity to take part in hepatic and cardiac catheterization procedures, as well as in the revision and placement of TIPS and in the performance of transjugular liver biopsies. I found this experience extremely valuable, as it allowed me to closely observe the performance of these types of procedures, which I had not yet had the chance to see during my residency training, and to deepen my understanding of portal hypertension and its management.

The most interesting and complex case I was able to observe during the exchange was the placement of a TIPS in a young woman with thrombophilia, which led to the development of porto-mesenteric thrombosis and consequent portal hypertension with variceal bleeding. Due to recurrent bleeding and the development of portal cholangiopathy, a TIPS placement was indicated. It was incredible to observe how many doctors (hepatologist, interventional hepatologist, radiologist, interventional radiologist) and nurses from different specialties collaborated to ensure the success of this procedure.

During my exchange period, I also took part in multidisciplinary meetings where patient cases — both from within the hospital and referred from other centers — were discussed in order to provide the best possible diagnostic and therapeutic management. In addition, I attended hepatology seminars where recently conducted research studies from the Hospital Clínic were presented.

In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to ERN RARE-LIVER, Professor Juan Carlos Garcia-Pagán, and his entire team for this wonderful experience.”

Alberto Rossi, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza

To learn more about the ERN Clinical exchange programme, please visit the dedicated section on our website or contact the ERN RARE-LIVER office directly.