INCOMPLETE SEPTAL CIRRHOSIS WITH LIVER-CELL DYSPLASIA - CASE-REPORT

A 60-year-old woman was transplanted for end-stage alcoholic cirrhosis . The diagnosis of cirrhosis was made 13 years earlier on the basis of features of portal hypertension and a wedge liver biopsy. Liver funct ion tests were subnormal except for a low prothrombin time. Unproven p ossible alcohol abuse was the only aetiological factor. Her condition remained unchanged until transplantation, despite complete abstinence. Histological examination of the explant showed incomplete septal cirr hosis associated with distal obstructive portal venopathy, cirrhotic n odules predominantly in the subcapsular areas and nodular regenerative hyperplasia with septal fibrosis elsewhere. In addition, there were a reas of large and small liver cell dysplasia. This observation shows t he difficulty in making a diagnosis of incomplete septal cirrhosis and the hypothetical link between liver cell dysplasia (which has never b een reported in incomplete septal cirrhosis but is well known to be as sociated with hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis) and rare cases of liver adenomas and carcinomas reported in patients presenting with li ver vascular disorders.