Histomorphological liver changes due to extrahepatic biliary stresia

Among 137 non-selected liver tissue specimens of 101 infants between 1968 and 1978 six cases of extrahepatic biliary atresia were found. For the pathologist examining the liver cylinder the differential diagnosis between biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis may be extemely difficult. Findings typical of extrahepatic biliary atresia, such as obstruction of portal tracts, cannot be observed before the 4th or 6th week. Formerly, biliary atresia was considered as a congenital deformity. However, under morphologic aspects a positive syntrophy or a causative relationship between neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia can at present not be excluded.