[Ultrastructure of liver damage in chronic vinyl chloride intoxication (author's transl)]

Liver biopsies taken from 15 workers at a PVC-producing factory were examined by electron microscopy. The hepatocytes showed focal hydropic swelling, disseminated toxic steatosis, peculiar para-crystalline inclusions in enlarged mitochondria, focal cytoplasmic degradations, and occasional single cell necroses. These regressive changes were more prominent in cases with a shorter interval of non-exposure prior to the biopsy. Further, a focal compensatory hyperplasia of the smooth endoplasmatic reticulum was found. With increase of the non-exposure time interval, a regression of the degree of steatosis as well as an age-independent excessive lipofuscin deposition was seen in the hepatocytes. Apparently, these are sequelae of increased autophagia of lipids and increased lipid oxidation by the vinylchloride. In the sinusoids, activation, enlargement and proliferation of Kupffer cells was noted. The tendency of these cells to proliferate is apparently caused by the cancerogenic stimulation by vinylchloride. The prominent hyperplasia of lipocytes is probably connected with the deposition of collagen and the peculiar perisinusoidal fibrosis.