Repeated Laparoscopy of 27 Patients with Chronic Non‐A, Non‐B Hepatitis Showing a Complete Response to IFN Therapy

: The laparoscopies and liver histology results of 27 patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis who had a complete response to the longterm administration of IFN-alpha were studied. When comparing the liver surface before IFN therapy, code number 1 using Shimada's classification, i. e., whitish markings, increased from 14.0% to 57.9%, code number 2, i. e., dilated vessels, decreased from 34.9% to 10.6%, code number 4, i. e., reddish markings, decreased from 11.6% to 2.6%, and code number 7, i. e., patchy markings, decreased from 16.3% to 2.6%. Improvement of the liver edge dullness and a decrease of the liver consistency after the IFN therapy were also observed in 40. 7%, and 14. 8% of the patients, respectively. Liver histology after the therapy showed normal liver or liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis patients, and liver cirrhosis with active hepatitis developed into liver cirrhosis without activity. The hepatitis activity index score decreased significantly after the therapy. The present report seems to be the first which describes detailed changes of the liver surface before and after IFN therapy in patients with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis who had a complete response to the therapy