TOTAL PARENTERAL-NUTRITION - A HISTOPATHOLOGIC ANALYSIS OF THE LIVER CHANGES IN 20 CHILDREN

The histologic features of liver biopsies from 20 children treated wit h total parenteral nutrition (TPN) are presented. All the children rec eived TPN for no less than 2 wk. Conditions that led clinicians to use this form of treatment included prematurity, sepsis, and gastrointest inal surgical procedures. Fourteen children had a history of prematuri ty; in nine the birth weight was between 640 and 1300 g. Gestational a ge and birth weight were not available in five and 11 children, respec tively. Ten of the 20 children died. Our findings suggest that the mor phologic features observed in the liver can be correlated with the dur ation of TPN. Thus, we propose a time table of hepatic histologic find ings beginning with cholestasis and culminating in cirrhosis.