Abstract

VARGAS SANABRIA, Maikel  and  BRENES PINO, Fernando. Hemocromatosis como causa de cirrosis en Costa Rica: a propósito de un caso. Med. leg. Costa Rica [online]. 2011, vol.28, n.2, pp. 69-74. ISSN 1409-0015.

We report a case of a 63 year old male patient with history of chronic hepatopathy with cirrhosis. During his medical control and last hospitalization no cirrhosis etiology was found. On autopsy, excess iron was found with histochemical stains in liver, pancreas, myocardium and gastric mucosa. These findings, along with the clinical history and laboratory tests, showed that the origin of cirrhosis was primary hemochromatosis. In occidental hemisphere, primary hemochromatosis is the cause of 5% of cirrhosis, and because of this, the clinicians and pathologists must have this disease in their differential diagnosis, since it has a simple treatment.

Keywords : Hepatic cirrosis; primary and secondary hemochromatosis; hemosiderosis; HME gene; transferrin; ferritin; serum iron; bronzed diabetes.