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Endoscopy 1987; 19(1): 17-19
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1018219
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Laparoscopic Histopathological Analysis of “Gentle Undulation” Findings observed in Patients with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

M. Onji, Y. Yamashita, T. Kato, H. Kondo, H. Bandou, N. Horiike, Y. Ohta
  • Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Shigenobu-cho, Onsen-gun, Ehime-ken, Japan
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Publication Date:
17 March 2008 (online)

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Summary

Laparoscopic findings of the liver in 13 cases with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) diagnosed by wedge or needle biopsy were investigated. The characteristic features of laparoscopic appearance - gentle undulation - were observed in 11 out of 13 (85 %) patients with PBC. These gentle undulations were irregularly shaped areas from 0.5 to 3 cm in diameter. Those observed in s-PBC were greater in number and more pronounced than those in a-PBC. In the concave areas of these undulations, the number of portal tracts was significantly greater than in the convex areas (p < 0.005). On the contrary, the number of interlobular bile ducts in the concave area was significantly less than in the convex area (p < 0.005). Therefore, gentle undulation was relatively specific to PBC, and was caused by scar formation and chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis in the portal area.

Key words:

Primary biliary cirrhosis - Laparoscopy

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