Ultrastructure of intrahepatic biliary canaliculi and prognosis of congenital biliary atresia

Objective To investigate the relationship between the ultrastructure of int rahepatic biliary canaliculi and the prognosis of congenital biliary atresi a. Methods Liver biopsies from 25 patients who were operated on for congenital biliary atresia were examined under the transmission electron microscope. The relationship between the number of well-developed bile canaliculi and p atient prognosis was studied. Results The survival rate for 13 patients with well-developed intrahepatic biliary canaliculi and 12 patients with poorly-developed intrahepatic bilia ry canaliculi were 92.3% (12/13) and 33.3% (4/12) respectively. The differe nce between two groups was statistically significant ( P < 0. 05). Conclusions Intrahepatic biliary canaliculi ultrastructure could be used as one of the prognostic factors in congenital biliary atresia.