[Diagnosis of alcoholic liver cirrhosis during autopsy]

Approaches for the diagnosis of alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver at the dissecting table are given on the basis of the analysis of autopsy materials and liver biopsies. The etiological verification of cirrhosis is based on the peculiar morphological lesions of the liver and other organs. The liver is enlarged, its surface micronodal; histologically, an attack of acute alcoholic hepatitis is found not infrequently: necroses of hepatocytes, predominantly neutrophilic infiltration of the stroma and necrotic zones, alcoholic hyalin. Due to autolysis, alcoholic hyalin in the autopsy material changes somehow and is hardly detectable. A combination of alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver with alcoholic cardiopathy and/or chronic calcifying pancreatitis is typical.