| Infarct
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Etiology
•Blockage of intra-hepatic blood vessels by tumor or
vasculitis can result in infarcts of the liver.
•Another important cause of hepatic infarcts is sickle
cell disease.
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Pathogenesis
•Blockage of arterial blood flow results in anoxic
cell injury and the development of an infarct.
•Blockage of the portal vein does not usually result in
an infarct because the portal artery continues to
provide the liver cells with oxygen,
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Epidemiology
•Liver infarcts are rare because of the dual blood
supply.
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General Gross Description
•Blockage of the intrahepatic artery can result in
typical wedge shaped pale infarcts.
•Occlusion of the portal vein does not result in an
infarct because of the hepatic arterial blood supply.
•However, an area of mottled discoloration may be seen,
referred to as an infarct of Zahn.
•Examples:
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General Microscopic Description
•Infarcts due to occlusion of the hepatic artery
are characterized by coagulative necrosis of the liver
cells, followed by infiltration by inflammatory cells,
resorption of tissue and the development of a scar.
•Examples:
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Clinical Correlation
•May present as pain the upper right quadrant.
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References
• Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 871
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| Infarct
| | Synopsis by: T.V.Rajan, M.D., Ph.D. (T56000M54700)[498]
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