Histopathological studies on intrahepatic bile ducts in the vicinity of porta hepatis in biliary atresia.

Intrahepatic bile ducts in the vicinity of the porta hepatis were histologically investigated in 9 cases of biliary atresia and the pattern of bile duct was divided into two groups. In the first group, there were a few large bile ducts which had continuity to the extrahepatic bile duct. In the second group, many small bile ducts were histologically observed, but there was no large bile duct at the porta hepatis. This type of abnormal bile ducts was seen in the cases of obliteration of bile ducts at porta hepatis.