Abstract

Of 951 consecutive cases of liver biopsies reviewed, 162 cases were satisfied with criteria of liver cirrhosis. Clinical records of the cirrhosis patients were summarized, and morphologic as well as etiologic classifications on liver cirrhosis were attempted. The morphologic and etiologic patterns characteristics in Korean were discussed in details. The following were results obtained. 1) Posthepatitic cirrhosis was the most prevalent type in Korean classified as 120 cases of 162 cirrhosis patients (74.1%). Their morphologic types consisted of micronodular (37 cases), mixed micro-and macronodular (48 cases), and macronodular (34 cases) cirrhosis. 2) Alcoholic cirrhosis was presented as 11 cases of 162 cirrhosis (6.8%), and micronodular was the predominant type (9 cases) in alcoholic cirrhosis. 3) Secondary biliary cirrhosis due to congenital biliary atresia was presented in 5 children. The large duct obstruction with secondary biliary cirrhosis occurred in 14 cases. Causes of the large duct obstruction in adults were biliary stones, clonorchiasis and inflammatory fibrosis of the bile ducts. 4) Cirrhosis of unpredictable etiology was noted in 12 cases, of which 10 cases were classified as macronodular cirrhosis. 5) Patients with posthepatitic and alcoholic cirrhosis were diagnosed mainly on needle biopsy materials while those with secondary biliary cirrhosis were confirmed on the wedge biopsy tissues obtained during a laparotomy.