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Background Recipient selection for liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is based primarily on criteria affecting the chance of long-term success. Here, the relationship between pretransplant bridging therapy and long-term survival was investigated in a subgroup analysis of the SiLVER Study. Methods Response to bridging, as defined by comparison of imaging at the time of listing and post-transplant pathology report, was categorized into controlled versus progressive disease (more than 20 per cent tumour growth or development of new lesions). Results Of 525 patients with HCC who had liver transplantation, 350 recipients underwent pretransplant bridging therapy. Tumour progression despite bridging was an independent risk factor affecting overall survival (hazard ratio 1.80; P = 0.005). For patients within the Milan criteria (MC) at listing, mean overall survival was longer for those with controlled versus progressive disease (6.8 versus 5.8 years; P < 0.001). Importantly, patients with HCCs outside the MC that were downsized to within the MC before liver transplantation had poor outcomes compared with patients who never exceeded the MC (mean overall survival 6.2 versus 6.6 years respectively; P = 0.030). Conclusion Patients with HCCs within the MC that did not show tumour progression under locoregional therapy had the best outcomes after liver transplantation. Downstaging into the limits of the MC did not improve the probability of survival. Prognostic factors determining the long-term success of liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are still under discussion. A subgroup analysis of the SiLVER trial showed that disease control under bridging therapy is strongly associated with improved prognosis in terms of overall survival. However, in tumours exceeding the limits of the Milan criteria, downstaging did not restore the probability of survival compared with that of patients within the Milan criteria.

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Background Reconstruction of the proximal humerus with a locking plate is often the first surgical approach for proximal humerus fractures. Screw cut-out is a common complication and is relevant in osteoporotic bone of older adults. The Deltoid Tuberosity Index (DTI) is an indirect measure for assessing local bone quality and failure rate before surgery, providing important information for surgical planning. This was the first independent, large-sample retrospective analysis of the correlation between local bone density, indirectly measured through the DTI, and screw cut-out. Methods In total, 306 cases of proximal humerus fractures treated with the PHILOS plate (DePuy Synthes, Oberdorf, Switzerland) were retrospectively analyzed. The DTI was measured on anteroposterior x‑rays. The primary endpoint was screw cut-out defined as the intra-articular position of at least one screw associated with a reduction loss after surgery. Results The mean clinical follow-up was 935 days. The DTI varied from 1.10 to 2.28 (average: 1.45). Screw cut-out occurred on average in 8% of the cases and was positively correlated with a DTI of ≤ 1.44 (p = 0.003). However, the rate of cut-out and correlation with DTI varied widely according to age group: for ages 65–80 years, a DTI of ≤ 1.44 increased the cut-out rate from 0% to 17% (p = 0.02); in younger ages (< 65 years) the DTI did not correlate with cut-out and in the oldest group (> 80 years) cut-out rates were high (17–20%) independently of the DTI. Conclusion We confirm the correlation between a DTI of ≤ 1.44 and screw cut-out. High-risk groups for screw cut-out are patients over 65 years with a DTI of ≤ 1.44 or any patient older than 80 years. Applying the DTI in the age group of 65–80 years offers relevant information for surgical planning in the trauma setting via a fast, cheap, and easy-to-use tool. Level of Evidence: Level 3, Retrospective Cohort Study.