Extra-hepatic biliary obstruction due to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: an autopsy case report with unattended yet...

Autopsy practice has been an invaluable tool to understand the pathobiology of various disease processes. We herein have given the description of a case of malignant extra-hepatic biliary obstruction secondary to a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The patient disease could only be adequately characterized at autopsy in the form of exact origin and subtyping of lymphoma. The autopsy revealed certain unattended and exciting, yet significant pathological findings in the form of portal vein thrombosis, neurolymphomatosis, the exact track of the lymphomatous cells from abdominal to thoracic cavity, and the terminal events which led to the patient's demise. The plausible clinical correlates of these pathological findings have been discussed. This can serve as a useful clue to the clinicians for managing such cases in the future.