Cleveland Clinic Cutting Edge Critical Care in Liver Failure From Physiology to Transplantation 2026

Join us for the Cutting-Edge Critical Care in Liver Failure: From Physiology to Transplantation, July 6-7, 2026, in Hollywood, FL!
Why Attend?
This symposium is a collaborative forum bringing together clinicians, educators, and trainees to thoughtfully explore the care of critically ill patients with acute liver failure, decompensated cirrhosis, and acute-on-chronic liver failure—from foundational physiology through transplantation. Our goal is to emphasize evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration, and practical bedside application.
By attending, participants will be able to:

Integrate core liver physiology with clinical syndrome recognition (acute liver injury [ALI], acute liver failure [ALF], acute-on-chronic liver failure [ACLF], and alcohol-associated hepatitis) to rapidly triage and manage critically ill liver patients, applying evidence-based ICU strategies for complications of decompensated cirrhosis, including variceal bleeding, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, and acute kidney injury.
Implement a time-sensitive, integrated ICU management approach for acute liver failure prioritizing golden-hour interventions utilizing evidence-informed neuromonitoring to prevent, detect and mitigate cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension, initiating organ-specific support and extracorporeal therapies as bridge to recovery or liver transplantation.
Recognize and stage acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) through systematic assessment of organ failures and precipitating triggers, initiate prompt organ-specific management to prevent further deterioration and expedite comprehensive transplant evaluation and referral to optimize candidacy and survival.
Differentiate hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) from other causes of acute kidney injury in cirrhosis, guide targeted vasoconstrictor and volume therapies, and select appropriate mean arterial pressure (MAP) targets and vasopressors for shock based on cirrhosis-specific hemodynamic physiology.
Integrate ICU stabilization in parallel with transplant decision-making by identifying clinical triggers for urgent transfer and transplant-center activation, implementing strategies to preserve transplant candidacy during the critical window, and coordinating multidisciplinary consultation across critical care, hepatology, and transplant services.
Prioritize and risk-stratify liver transplant candidates by integrating ACLF severity and waitlist mortality risk with comprehensive cardiac evaluation (including indications for combined cardiac–liver, kidney transplant), frailty and sarcopenia assessment, and ethical frameworks for transplant candidacy, including appropriate decision-making when transplantation is not indicated or feasible.
Manage complex peri-transplant critical care differentiating and optimizing portopulmonary hypertension versus hepatopulmonary syndrome to guide perioperative risk mitigation and coordinating care with anesthesia for high-risk patients with cardiac comorbidities to reduce intraoperative and postoperative complications.
Apply practical ICU strategies for advanced liver disease, balancing coagulopathy management with procedural safety, implementing right-heart–protective strategies in portopulmonary hypertension, and operationalizing standardized Liver ICU pathways to improve patient safety, efficiency, and outcomes.

Who Should Attend?
This activity is designed for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, pharmacists, fellows, residents, and other health care professionals who have an interest in treating patients with liver failure in critical care.

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Monday, July 6, 2026

Day 1 – Foundations & Advanced Liver Critical Care

7:00 am

Registration, Breakfast, and Visit Exhibits

7:45 am

Welcome and Setting the Stage: The Future of Liver Critical Care Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd

BLOCK 1 – Core ICU Principles for Liver Patients Panel Discussion led by: Christina Lindenmeyer, MD, Jody C. Olson, MD, Ram Subramanian, MD, and Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd

8:00 am

The Liver’s Command Center: Physiology That Drives Critical Care Leopoldo Arosemena, MD

8:20 am

ALI, ALF, ACLF: Cracking the Code of Acute Liver Syndromes Kalyan Bhamidimarri, MD

8:40 am

Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis: Rapid Recognition & ICU Strategies Jody C. Olson, MD

9:00 am

Cirrhosis in Crisis: A Practical Playbook for ICU Complications Neal Chaisson, MD

9:30 am

Panel Discussion Block 1 Panel & Faculty

10:00 am

Refreshment Break and Visit Exhibits

BLOCK 2 – Advanced Critical Care Challenges in Liver Failure Moderators: Tarik Hanane, MD and Neal Chaisson, MD

10:30 am

Acute Liver Failure: When Minutes Matter—Mastering the Golden Hour Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd

10:50 am

Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Decision Points: Bridge to Transplant, Road to Recovery, or Path to Comfort Jody C. Olson, MD

11:15 am

Life Support for the Liver: Evidence and Strategies in Extracorporeal Therapy Ram Subramanian, MD

11:35 am

Shock in Cirrhosis: MAP Targets, Pressor Choices & Hemodynamic Nuances Siddharth Dugar, MD

12:00 pm

Question & Answer Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd, Jody C. Olson, MD, Ram Subramanian, MD, and Siddharth Dugar, MD

12:15 pm

Lunch, Visit Exhibits and Optional Non-CME Satellite

1:15 pm

Expert Roundtables: Ask, Debate and Discover (non-CME, In-Person only)
Table 1: Decoding Liver Failure: ALF vs ACLF Faculty: Kalyan Bhamidimarri, MD and Christina Lindenmeyer, MD
Table 2: Brain Matters: Neuromonitoring in Liver Disease Faculty: Tarik Hanane, MD and Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd
Table 3: Kidneys in Crisis: Renal Failure & Cirrhosis Faculty: Jody C. Olson, MD and Leopoldo Arosemena, MD
Table 4: Shock Talk: Hemodynamics in Cirrhosis Faculty: Eduardo Mireles-Cabodevila, MD and Neal Chaisson, MD
Table 5: ICU Curveballs: Managing Cirrhosis Complications Faculty: Ram Subramanian, MD and Siddharth Dugar, MD
Table 6: Operationalizing Interprofessional Collaboration (Respiratory Therapists, Social Workers, Transplant Coordinators, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, etc.): Core Principles and Practice Faculty: Bridget Dolan, MSPAS, PA-C and Leah Psellas, MSPAS, PA-C

BLOCK 3 – Bridging ICU Care to Transplant Decisions Moderators: Koji Hashimoto, MD and Eduardo Mireles-Cabodevila, MD

2:00 pm

Hepatic Crisis Management: When to Transfer, When to Call for Transplant Ram Subramanian, MD

2:25 pm

Optimizing the Transplant Candidate: Making the Most of the Window Period Christina Lindenmeyer, MD

2:50 pm

Building a Liver ICU: From Vision to Sustainability Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd

3:15 pm

Question & Answer Ram Subramanian, MD, Christina Lindenmeyer, MD, and Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd

3:30 pm

Refreshment Break and Visit Exhibits

4:00 pm

Adjourn

Block 4 – Hands-On Masterclasses (Optional Workshop, In-Person only, Limited Seating)

4:00 pm

Variceal Bleed Resuscitation Bootcamp Matt Siuba, DO, Neal Chaisson, MD, Nick Koch, BSN, RN, and Ashley Haas, BSN, RN
OR
Organ-Specific ACLF Management: Shock, Respiratory Failure & Renal Support Siddharth Dugar, MD and Tarik Hanane, MD

5:30 pm

Adjourn

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Day 2 – Transplant Evaluation, Peri-Transplant Care & Systems-Based Practice

7:00 am

Breakfast, Visit Exhibits

BLOCK 5 – Transplant Evaluation & Prioritization Panel Discussion led by: William Bernal, MD, Jacek B. Cywinski, MD, FASA, Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd, Christina Lindenmeyer, MD, and Maan Fares, MD

8:00 am

ACLF & Waitlist Mortality: Prioritization Strategies That Save Lives William Bernal, MD

8:20 am

Cardiac Checkpoint: Evaluating the Heart in Liver Transplant Candidates Maan Fares, MD

8:40 am

When Two Worlds Collide: Combined Cardiac-Liver Surgery David Baran, MD

9:00 am

The Power of “No”: Ethical & Clinical Decision-Making in Transplant Christina Lindenmeyer, MD

9:20 am

Sarcopenia & Frailty: The Silent Predictors of Transplant Outcomes Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd

9:40 am

Panel Discussion Block 5 Panel & Faculty

10:00 am

Refreshment Break and Visit Exhibits

BLOCK 6 – Advanced Peri-Transplant Critical Care Moderators: Koji Hashimoto, MD, PhD, Roger Alvarez, DO, and Matt Siuba, DO

10:30 am

Hepatorenal Syndrome: A Diagnostic & Management Roadmap Andrew Allegretti, MD, MSc

10:55 am

Pulmonary Puzzle: Portopulmonary Hypertension & Hepatopulmonary Syndrome Neal Chaisson, MD

11:20 am

Anesthesia in High-Risk Liver Transplant: Cardiac Disease Considerations Jacek B. Cywinski, MD, FASA

11:40 am

Question & Answer Andrew Allegretti, MD, MSc, Neal Chaisson, MD, and Jacek B. Cywinski, MD, FASA

12:00 pm

Lunch and Visit Exhibits
Lunch with the experts: Transplant Think Tanks – Real-World Challenges & Solutions (non-CME, In-Person only)
Table 1: ACLF & Waitlist Mortality: Prioritization Strategies Faculty: William Bernal, MD and Jody C. Olson, MD
Table 2: Breathing Beyond Boundaries: Managing Pulmonary Syndromes in Liver Disease Faculty: Matt Siuba, DO and Roger Alvarez, DO
Table 3: Beyond the Liver: Combined Organ Transplants Faculty: Maan Fares, MD and Andrew Allegretti, MD, MSc
Table 4: Peri-Transplant Pearls: Navigating Complex Cases Faculty: Christina Lindenmeyer, MD and David Baran, MD
Table 5: From Molecule to Medicine: The Science Behind Pharmacology Faculty: Stephanie Bass, PharmD and Jason Yerke, PharmD

BLOCK 7 – Practical ICU Management & Closing Integration Moderators: Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd, Siddharth Dugar, MD, Christina Lindenmeyer, MD, and Neal Chaisson, MD

1:15 pm

Coagulopathy & Procedural Safety: Navigating the Bleeding Edge Tarik Hanane, MD

1:40 pm

Protecting the Right Heart: ICU Strategies for Portopulmonary Hypertension Matt Siuba, DO

2:05 pm

The Liver ICU Pathway: Multidisciplinary Care in Action Eduardo Mireles-Cabodevila, MD

2:30 pm

Question & Answer Tarik Hanane, MD, Matt Siuba, DO, and Eduardo Mireles-Cabodevila, MD

2:40 pm

A Final Integrated Discussion Aanchal Kapoor, MD, MEd, Christina Lindenmeyer, MD and ICU faculty

3:00 pm

Refreshment Break and Visit Exhibits

3:30 pm

Adjourn

Block 8 – Hands-On Masterclasses (REPEAT FROM MONDAY) (Optional Workshops, In-Person only, Limited Seating)

3:30pm

Variceal Bleed Resuscitation Bootcamp Matt Siuba, DO, Neal Chaisson, MD, Nick Koch, BSN, RN, and Ashley Haas, BSN, RN
OR
Organ-Specific ACLF Management: Shock, Respiratory Failure & Renal Support Siddharth Dugar, MD and Tarik Hanane, MD

5:00 pm

Adjourn