[The morphology and morphogenesis of alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver].

A total of 42 biopsy specimens of the liver (blind and spot) in 32 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver were investigated. Morphological, portal, postnecrotic, and mixed types of cirrhosis were established. The portal type of cirrhosis is most common. On the basis of repeated analyses of biopsy materials of the liver it may be assumed that the development of cirrhosis of the liver of alcoholic etiology is connected with multiple attacks of acute alcoholic hepatitis. Abstention from alcohol consumption resulted in stifestations of exacerbation of cirrhosis. On the other hand, continuation of alcohol consumption contributed to progressing of cirrhosis, which following several attacks of alcoholic hepatitis, may change its morphological type: portal cirrhosis "transforms" into the postnecrotic or mixed type. The data obtained clarified the role of ethanol in progressing alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, which according to the initial mecranisms of its development in postnecrotic, since every attack of acute alcoholic hepatitis is accompanied by coagulative (fields of alcoholic hyaline, or Mallory's bodies), or by colliquative (balloon dystrophy) necrosis of hepacytes.