It will resolve without complications with the cessation of alcohol. Diagnosis of steatosis can be made only by liver biopsy because the liver function tests in use are usually normal. The biopsy is performed also with the intend to of detecting eventual complications such as fibrosis, inflammation etc. Uncomplicated alcoholic fatty liver or even with minimal fibrosis will return to normal in 4 to 6 weeks of abstension from alcohol. Fig.153-Alcoholic steatosis Panlobular.
Vesicles are larger in the center of the lobule.
It is a necroinflammatory lesion occurring in the centrolobular area and characterized like any other hepatitis by necrosis, inflammation and fibrosis. 1- Necrosis is focal or confluent in the perivenular central zone of the lobule and consists of ballooning degeneration with or without Mellory bodies, giant mitochondria and, very rarely, acidophilic cells. Inflammation consists of infiltrates of neutrophilic leucocytes around necrotic hepatocytes especially those containing Mellory bodies. 3- Fibrosis develops in persisting cases and may be pericellular, perivenular and bridging from central vein to an adjacent central vein according to the extent and the duration of the lesion. Lympho-histiocytic infiltrate accompanies the fibrosis.