Alterations of liver cell mitochondria represent pathologic phenomenon of a fundamental nature. Mitochondrial anomalies have been often described in association with cholestasis. In attempt to determine whether a given pattern of mitochondrial alteration has any correlation with the cause of cholestasis, liver biopsies were examined from 38 patients showing :a. extrahepatic cholestasis due to complete or partial extrahepatic biliary obstruction (8 cases proven at operation)b. intrahepatic cholestasis due to drugs (9 cases), viral hepatitis (6 cases) and alcoholic cirrhosis (15 cases).Mitochondria exhibiting ultrastructural changes due to aging or to the ‘wear and teart’ processes were not considered. In this study, the only profound and most prominent mitochondrial deformation was reported on basis of their common occurrence in randomly examined sections.
