[Histometrical studies of liver parenchym in two cirrhotic livers (author's transl)]

Livers of two patients suffering from cirrhosis were weighed at post mortem, and found to have weights of 510 resp. 640 g. The quantity of hepatocytes was measured histometrically and estimated to be approx. 210 g in both patients; this means, that total liver mass in these patients was reduced to approximately 30% of normal, and that hepatic insufficiency had been incumbent in both of these patients. Difficulties in the methods of measuring the quantity of normal liver parenchyma in cirrhotic livers are discussed. Initiation of hepatic coma in liver cirrhosis is dependent in the first place, but not exclusively, upon the degree of reduction of liver parenchyma.