Intravascular coagulation in autopsy cases with liver diseases

184 autopsy cases with liver diseases were examined clinicopathologically with special reference to the incidence and distribution of microthrombi and classic thrombi in various organs. Microthrombi and/or classic thrombi were found in one or more organs in 50.0% to 59.4% of the patients with various liver diseases. But only 4 among 184 patients had many microthrombi in more than three organs and the incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation seemed to be low in autopsy cases with liver diseases. Incidence of microthrombi showed no significant difference in the groups with and without portal vein thrombosis. Hemorrhage in the upper alimentary tracts of the patients with liver cirrhosis did not seem to develop by disseminated intravascular coagulation. Consumption of clotting factors in liver diseases seemed to occur by thrombus formation in portal vein and esophageal varices and by hemorrhage in various organs.