6. Chronic Passive Venous Congestion of the Liver - Gross
Caused by resistance or obstruction to the outflow of venous blood from the liver, as may occur in chronic right heart failure (congestive heart failure). The area surrounding the central veins (centrizonal) becomes intensely congested, and the hepatocytes in the central zone may even become necrotic due to hypoxia. These centrilobular areas are seen as the dark red spots on the cut surface. The alternating pale areas represent the periportal hepatocytes that have undergone fatty change due to lesser degrees of hypoxia. Remember that in the hepatic lobules, blood flows from the periportal to the central zones, and hence the centrilobular areas are more vulnerable to hypoxia than are the peripheral hepatocytes. What caused enlargement of liver, edema, and fullness of neck veins in this patient? Answer

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