The latter is more severe than the former because alcoholic hepatitis when is persistent invariably terminates in cirrhosis. The following lesions can be morphologically recognized. It occurs in two forms macrovesicular and microvesicular. Macrovesicular alcoholic steatosis Presence of large sharp fat droplets in hepatocytes. The nuclei are in peripheral location.
Some vacuoles coalesce and form large cysts.
There is usually minimal focal inflammation. In some cases there may be cholestasis which may become severe and fatal. Superimposed viral hepatitis may be the cause of these complications. Uncomplicated fatty infiltration produces hepatomegaly but no other clinical or biochemical changes. The best method to demonstrate fat is osmium tetroxide fixation.