LAPALOSCOPIC FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE CHOLANGIOPATHY

Abstract

We analysed laparoscopic findings of the liver in 7 patients with autoimmune cholangiopathy (AIC) and compared those with the findings in 40 patients with PBC (not AIC). At least one of the characterestic laparoscopic findings for PBC, such as gentle undulation, reddish patch, or leopard-skin like lesion was observed in all patients with AIC. In regard to non-specific findings, incidence of reddish markings was significantly increased in patients with AIC, compared with patients with PBC (P<0.05). These laparoscopic findings in patients with AIC suggest that AIC is one of the entities of PBC morphologically and represents hepatitis superimposed on cholangitis.