CONSOLIDATION OF THE PERITONEOSCOPIC CODE NUMBER SYSTEM FOR CHRONIC LIVER DISEASES

Abstract

I have amended the peritoneoscopic code number system for chronic liver diseases reported by us in 1971 with some addenda. "Tens" column of the three-figure code : a borderline of the diameter of cirrhotic nodules was set at 5mm, code number 10 was defined as diameter being less than 5 mm, and code number 20 being 5mm or more. This is because code number 10 was supposed to include cases with liver diseases of both viral and alcoholic etiologies, and code number 20 of other etiologies. According to the development of peritoneoscopy as an aid in intravenous injection of Indocyanine Green (ICG), patches can be easily differentiated from interstitial tissue, and cases with wide intervals between patches were included into code number 30. In this case, topical histology of intervals showed chronic hepatitis but whole histology showed chronic hepatitis with liver cirrhosis. From the study on peritoneoscopic findings in chronic hepatitis, type C, small yellowish white spots indicative of follicular formation in the Glisson's sheath were included in code number 1, and reddish markings in chronic hepatitis, type C, in code number 4. Furthermore, gutter-or-trench shaped depressions following above reddish marking were newly defined as code number 5.