This session will focus on new and future innovations for the diagnosis the therapy of patients with advanced liver disease. The use of non-invasive tests and dynamic monitoring for patients with portal hypertension will be discussed. In addition, the emerging role of endoscopic ultrasound for measuring portal pressure, evaluating liver lesions, performing liver biopsy, and treating gastric varices will be analysed. Innovations in imaging techniques and interventional therapies for portal and mesenteric vein thrombosis as well radiological therapy for HCC and CCA will be addressed. Finally, the role of robotic surgery liver resection and its role in liver transplantation will be examined. 

This session will focus on the different alternatives, hope and limits of different liver support (Artificial and bioartificial extracorporeal liver, hepatocyte transplantation) in patients with ALF and ACLF. We will also review the progress and limits of using liver, biliary cells and liver organoids in the context of liver support. Finally, the concept of liver regeneration in the remnant liver to promote extended liver resection and living donor or split liver transplantation will be presented.

Novel biomarkers aid us in diagnosis, prognosis and management of patients with chronic liver disease. There are three “frontiers” addressed in this session: serum and imaging biomarkers of fibrosis progression and regression; refinements of MELD-Na to improve risk stratification of patients with cirrhosis; and the novel markers improving prognostication of patients with HCC.

Big data analysis in liver diseases are still mostly unknown by the majority of hepatologists and need to be organised and developed. The impact of these big data analysis on comprehension of liver diseases, development of liver biomarkers, and prognosis scores will be of most importance on the close future. A better knowledge of mechanisms of liver disease will help to develop personalised medicine. Liver cancer is a good example as shown by the development of new treatments such as protein kinase inhibitors, antiangiogenic drugs, immunotherapy, and their association.

Increasingly, digitalised medicine is become an integral part of how we care for patients. In this session, we examine three key facets: social media as a tool for patient engagement and education; remote management of patients, including tools and technologies beyond the telemedicine “visit”; and the use of big data/AI to empower improved care of patients.