A CASE OF PORPHYRIA CUTANEA TARDA WITHOUT SKIN LESIONS

Abstract

We report a case of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) without skin lesions. The patient, a 52-year-old male drinker, was admitted because of liver dysfunction and resting finger tremor. Under laparoscopic examination, on uneven surface of the liver the dark purple colorations from 0.2 to 1.0 cm in diameter were found. The liver biopsy specimen showed a strong red autofluorescence under ultraviolet light of Wood's lamp. Since the examinations of porphyrins showed the increased content of uroporphyrin in urine, the patient was diagnosed as PCT. Laparoscopic examination led to the diagnosis of this case of PCT without skin lesions. And we found that the dark purple colorations characteristic of PCT on the liver surface were showed even in the case without skin lesions.