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Cryptogenic fulminant hepatic failure in infancy: Report of 2 cases with unique vascular obstructive changes in native livers
Author(s) -
Shimojima Naoki,
Shibata Rie,
Hoshino Ken,
Kawachi Shigeyuki,
Tanabe Minoru,
Wakabayashi Go,
Shimazu Motohide,
Sakamoto Michiie,
Morikawa Yasuhide,
Kitajima Masaki
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
liver transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.814
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1527-6473
pISSN - 1527-6465
DOI - 10.1002/lt.20850
Subject(s) - medicine , fulminant hepatic failure , pathological , etiology , fulminant , liver transplantation , pathogenesis , transplantation , pathology
Abstract Although the causes of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) remain cryptogenic in many cases, a few reports have reviewed the pathological findings of native livers to evaluate the etiology. We report 2 cases of infantile cryptogenic FHF with unique vascular obstructive changes in the native livers. Clinically, it was notable that these 2 patients developed FHF very early in life, at 2 months and 5 months of age, respectively. One patient died from chronic rejection associated with hepatic veno‐occlusive disease 4 months after transplantation. Histologically, hepatocytes in the native livers were completely destroyed in both patients, and vascular findings revealed obstruction of central veins in 1 patient and obstruction of portal veins in the other patient. Although the pathogenesis of vascular obstructions is not yet understood, this study suggests that an obstructive vascular event may be a contributing etiologic factor of FHF in infancy. Liver Transpl 12:1418–1422, 2006. © 2006 AASLD.