Curbside Consultation of the Liver : 49 Clinical Questions

Are you looking for concise, practical answers to questions that are often left unanswered by traditional liver references? Are you seeking brief, evidence-based advice for complicated cases or complications? Curbside Consultation of the Liver: 49 Clinical Questions provides quick and direct answers to the thorny questions commonly posed during a “curbside consultation” between colleagues.

Dr. Mitchell Shiffman has designed this unique reference, which offers expert advice, preferences, and opinions on tough clinical questions commonly associated with the liver. The unique Q&A format provides quick access to current information related to the liver with the simplicity of a conversation between two colleagues. Numerous images, diagrams, and references are included to enhance the text and to illustrate the treatment of the liver.

Curbside Consultation of the Liver: 49 Clinical Questions provides information basic enough for residents while also incorporating expert advice that even high-volume clinicians will appreciate. Gastroenterologists, fellows, residents in training, and medical students will benefit from the user-friendly and casual format and the expert advice contained within.

Some of the questions that are answered:

• How often should I follow a patient who had chronic hepatitis C after they achieved a sustained virologic response?
• Should I stop the HIV medications in a patient who has developed an elevation in serum liver transaminases?
• What should I tell my patient who is a carrier for alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency?
• Which patients with fatty liver disease on an ultrasound examination require a liver biopsy?
• Which patients with chronic liver disease should I screen for hepatocellular carcinoma?
• How much ascites is safe to remove at any time?

Mitchell L. Shiffman, MD received his MD degree from the State University of New York, Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. He then completed internship and residency training in Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Virginia (now the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center) in Richmond, VA. He remained at this institution for fellowship training in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, which included two years of research training funded by a National Institutes of Health training grant. After completing his training, Dr. Shiffman joined the faculty of the Virginia Commonwealth University as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and has remained at this institution throughout his academic career. He is currently a Professor of Medicine, and has been the Chief of the Hepatology Section and Medical Director of the Liver Transplant Program at the VCU Medical Center for over a decade.

Dr. Shiffman has authored or coauthored over 200 original articles, editorials, reviews, and/or book chapters. His clinical research has focused on improving our understanding and developing better treatments for viral hepatitis B and C. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the American College of Gastroenterology, and has served on numerous NIH grant review committees and is a member of the Editorial Boards of Liver Transplantation and Liver International.