Portal Plate with Hyaline Cartilage in Biliary Atresia

Excerpt

To the Editor: Biliary atresia is a progressive fibrosing obliterative cholangiopathy of unknown etiology that leads to biliary cirrhosis and portal hypertension [1, 2]. We present a rare case of biliary atresia with hyaline cartilage formation at portal plate. A 2-mo-old infant presented with jaundice and pale colored stools since birth. Intraoperative cholangiogram confirmed the diagnosis of atresia and Kasai portoenterostomy was performed. The wedge liver showed focal bridging fibrosis (Fig. 1a) with bile ductular reaction. Ductular and hepatocanalicular cholestasis was noted. Occasional periportal hepatocytes showed stainable copper. The portal plate showed medium sized ducts with maximum diameter of ~200 μm with periductal fibrosis and epithelial degeneration (Fig. 1b). Four foci of well organised mature hyaline cartilage were identified adjacent to duct (Fig. 1c & d).

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