Hepatic Histological Changes in Ulcerative Colitis

Operative liver biopsy was performed on 58 consecutive patients coming to radical excisional surgery for ulcerative colitis.

The histological changes seen in the liver were: increased cellularity of the portal tracts (83 per cent); fatty infiltration (83 per cent); areas of focal necrosis (47 per cent); and early cirrhosis (2 per cent).

Severe liver damage was shown to he associated with severe active colitis, and with a poor subsequent post-operative prognosis. The mechanisms responsible for liver damage in patients with colitis are discussed.