An Autopsy Case of Obstetric Acute Yellow Liver Atrophy : A Case with Deposit of Crystallines in the Hepatic Lesions

An autopsy case of 34-year-old, para-4, woman who died of obsteric acute yellow liver atrophy was presented. In this case the liver was characterized histologically by foamy cytoplasm of hepatic cells with very fine droplet of lipid, without accompaniment of necrosis and inflammatory reaction. The pathological changes with other clinical pictuers were in agreement with Sheehan's descriptions. The etiology of this disease is still unknown, but some of the recently reported cases have shown to be associated with tetracycline therapy. A peculiar finding in the present case was a deposit of many crystallines in the hepatic lesions which were visible clearly under polarized microscope although unrecognized with usual microscopy. We failed to identify these crystallines. Tetracycline was not used in this patient.