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39<br />

Results<br />

Morphological changes and cytokeratin expression<br />

in the liver<br />

The frequency of histological changes is demonstrated in Table<br />

2. We have found fibrosis, inflammatory changes in the<br />

portal tracts and lobules, cholestasis in zone 3, bile ductular<br />

proliferation with abnormal structures (concentric, tubular,<br />

reduplicated), cholangiolitis in all cases, but the intensity of<br />

these changes was different (Table 3).<br />

Table 2<br />

Histological changes in the first group of patients with poor<br />

prognosis and in the second group of patients with good<br />

prognosis<br />

No of cases (%) No of cases (%)<br />

Group I Group II<br />

Cholestasis<br />

Zone 1 100% 100%<br />

Zone 2 83% 41%<br />

Zone 3 83% 35%<br />

Ductules 66% 29%<br />

Ducts 83% 88%<br />

Dilatation of bile ducts 0% 0%<br />

Cholangitis 33% 41%<br />

Cholangiolitis 66% 41%<br />

Bile ductular proliferation 100% 100%<br />

Piecemeal necrosis 66% 64%<br />

Giant cell transformation 66% 29%<br />

Foci of hematopoesis 66% 41%<br />

Abnormal structures<br />

(concentric, tubular,<br />

reduplicated) 100% 100%<br />

Ductal plate malformation 66% 35%<br />

Fibrosis<br />

Grade 1 0% 0%<br />

Grade 2 33% 35%<br />

Grade 3 66% 64%<br />

Grade 4 0% 0%<br />

Table 3<br />

Comparison of significant histological parameters in the first<br />

group with poor prognosis and the second group with good<br />

prognosis<br />

Z3 cholestasis in zone 3, Ch cholangiolitis, GCT giant cell transformation,<br />

DPM ductal plate malformation<br />

The degree of fibrosis was similar in both groups at<br />

the time of Kasai procedure: we found moderate fibrosis of<br />

portal tracts and fibrous portal to portal septa in 4 infants<br />

from the first unfavorable group, in 6 infants from the second<br />

favorable group and severe fibrosis with septal bridging in<br />

8 infants from the first unfavorable group, in 11 infants from<br />

the second favorable group (Fig. 1C). Cirrhosis was absent<br />

at the time of Kasai procedure.<br />

Mild inflammatory changes with the presence of diffuse<br />

polymorphous infiltration consisted of granulocytes<br />

and lymphocytes in the portal tracts and fibrous septa were<br />

observed in all cases, but piecemeal necrosis was not a constant<br />

feature. In contrast, lobular inflammation was more<br />

prominent in the first unfavorable group. Prominent inflammation<br />

with massive infiltration of granulocytes and lymphocytes<br />

was seen only in two cases from the first unfavorable<br />

group, aged 49 days and 60 days at the time of Kasai<br />

procedure. They had also features of destructive cholangitis.<br />

We observed active necro-inflammatory lesions of the<br />

bile ducts and concentric fibrosis around their lumina. One<br />

of these patients died 7 months after Kasai procedure and<br />

the second one needed liver transplantation 8 months after<br />

Kasai procedure.<br />

In summary, cholangitis was seen in 4 and cholangiolitis<br />

in 8 patients from the first group as slight inflammation<br />

and infiltration of epithelial bile duct cells with few<br />

lymphocytes (periductal and intraepithelial infiltration). We<br />

found similar changes in 7 patients from the second favorable<br />

group. We didn`t observe any paucity of intrahepatic<br />

ducts.<br />

Bile ductular proliferation, seen in all cases in both<br />

groups was present at the limiting plate, in periportal zones<br />

and in the center of portal tracts, often as curved, tubular,<br />

concentric structures, and was not always associated with the<br />

inflammation. The degree varied between cases of the same<br />

group but was not dependent on other factors.<br />

Ductal plate malformation, persistence of fetal biliary<br />

structures, seen in 8 cases (66%) from the first unfavorable<br />

group and 6 cases (41%) from the second favorable group<br />

was characterized by an increased number of bile ducts at<br />

the limiting plate, without connective tissue between the lobule,<br />

irregular contours of the ductal lumina, lack of the centrally<br />

located bile duct and lack of a portal venule. These<br />

structures were curved, concentric, sometimes around a fibrous<br />

core in the portal tract (Fig. 1D). Their distribution was<br />

irregular, they were not present in all portal tracts. The<br />

expression of CK7 and CK19 was useful to identify features<br />

of ductal plate malformation, especially when inflammatory<br />

infiltrates were abundant (Fig. 1D).<br />

Hepatocytic giant cells were observed in 8 infants<br />

from the first unfavorable group (66%) and in 5 infants from<br />

the second favorable group (29%) of examined material. The<br />

number of nuclei ranged from 8 till 15 nuclei, usually they<br />

had bile pigment accumulation in the center forming often intralobular<br />

rosettes. Many well-defined rosettes were partially<br />

lined by giant cells (Fig. 1B).

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