Liver Pathology 1 Flashcards
Define jaundice
yellow discoloration of the skin due to retention of bilirubin
clinically evident as total serum bilirubin approach 2-3 mg/dl
Define icterus
yellow discoloration of the sclera due to retention of bilirubin
Define cholestasis
impaired secretion of bile (lots of different causes)
List the steps involved in bilirubin metabolism
reticuloendothelial cells convert heme to bilirubin
bilirubin transported to the liver and complexed to albumin (unconjugated bilirubin)
bilirubin is then conjugated with glucuronic acid in the liver cells (conjugated bilirubin)
conjugated bilirubin is excreted in bile (make stool brown)
Where does most bilirubin come from?
85% from breakdown of sensecent RBCs
15% from hepatic heme or marrow RBC precursors
WHat cells convert heme to biliruine?
reticuloendothelial cells
What will complex biliruin on its way to the liver?
albumin
What is used to conjugate the bilirubin?
UDP transferase puts on glucuronic acid
List some causes of unconjugated hyperiblirubinemia.
increased production of bilirubin: hemolysis in general
impaired hepatic bilirubine uptake
impaired bilirubin conjugated
List some causes of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia .
Extrahepatic cholestasis (biliary obstruction)
Intrahepatic cholestasis
Which form of bilirubin is toxic to tissues?
unconjugated (water insoluble, bound to albumin, toxic to tissues, not excreted in urine)
note that conjugated bilirubin is water soluble, not tighyly bound to albumin, not toxic to tissues, and excreted in urine when present in serum at high levels (bilirubinuria)
Describe causes and significance of increased unconjugated bilirubin in the neonate?
neonatal jaundice (physiologic jaundice of the newborn) is a normal finding because they have neonatal alterations in bilirubin metabolism (increased bilirubin production, decreased bilirubin conjugation and clearance)
cause a mild unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia
not a clinical problem unless it gets high (over 20) at which time you can get neurotoxicity presenting as acute bilirubin encephalopathy and long-term kernicterus
What organ system is affected if bilirubin levels are too high?
CNS
What is the treatment for this?
phototherapy with blue light
the light converts the bilirubin into water soluble isomers so that it can be excreted
Define Gilbert’s syndrome and the typical lab findings.
super common autosomal recessive condition
decreased ducuronyltransferase activity (30% of normal)
so they get increased unconjugated bilirubin after fasting.
totally benign
Describe the mophrologic fingings of hepatocellular cholestasis.
intrahepatic/extrahepatic
you’ll get bile within hepatocytes, canalicular bile stasis, feathery degeneration of hepatocytes
in extrahepatic you’ll also have bile lakes, bile witin the distended bile ducts, portal tract edema, bile cduct proliferation within the portal tracts. Maybe promotes ascending hcolangitis.
Describe the morpholoic findings of canalicular cholestasis.
You get bile plugs in the canaliculi
Describe the morphologic findings of acute cholangitis.
neutrophil infiltrate into the bile ducts
Describe chronic passive congestion
you get centrilobular congestion - bldod builds up
Describe centrilobular hemorrhagic necrossi
you get centrilobular congestion with necrosis in the middle
Describe cardiac sclerosis.
if you have long standing of this, you can get cardiac sclerosis
basically a fibrosin reaction following long standing congestion and centrilobular hecrosis
cuase: right sided heart failure, hepatic vein thrombosis, left sided heart failure and shock
Describe hepatic infarct
these rarely occur since the liver has double blood supply, but it can be seen with arterial occlusion due to vasculitis, embolism or tumor
the area of the lobule most susceptible is the centrilobular region (periportal areas will be spared)
Describe Bud Chiari Syndrome.
thrombosis of two or more hepatic vein branches (outflow blockage)
you get hepatomegaly (congestion), congestion and abdominal pain
usually caused by conditions that make clots more likely to form, but sometimes idiopathic
diagnose with imaging - US
you get cnetrilobular hemorrhagic necrosis aroud the area
Describe sinusoidal obstruction syndrome.
hepatoveno-occlusive disease
you get obstructive nonthrombotic lessions of the central hepatic veins
usually from radiation or hepatoxoins - often in bone marrow transplants, chemo
you get marked narrowing and olibteration of the central veins by subendothelial swelling and fibrosis
get painful hepatomegaly, sudden weight loss, increased bilirubin