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Forensic Histopathology pp 137–147Cite as

Alcohol-Related Histopathology

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Abstract

Chronic alcohol consumption leads to a multitude of histopathological findings, particularly in the advanced stages of alcoholism. The liver is by no means the only organ affected by alcohol consumption. Pathological changes are routinely observed where collagen connective tissue is replaced by toxic, damaged liver tissue; this process begins with truncation and fibrosis of the portal fields, leading to liver fibrosis and the development of pseudolobules demarcated by connective tissue in the case of fine- to medium-coarse nodular portal liver cirrhosis. In addition, alcohol-induced pathological changes of the pancreas can occur. When portal congestion is present, splenomegaly will also develop, and varices of the esophagus may be seen. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy should be mentioned separately; with regard to differential diagnoses, inflammatory cardiomyopathy must be considered in connection with dilative cardiomyopathy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forensic Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Frankfurter Straße 58, D-35392, Gießen, Germany

    Prof. Dr.Dr. Reinhard B. Dettmeyer

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  1. Prof. Dr.Dr. Reinhard B. Dettmeyer
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Correspondence to Reinhard B. Dettmeyer .

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Dettmeyer, R.B. (2011). Alcohol-Related Histopathology. In: Forensic Histopathology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20659-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20659-7_6

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