Piecemeal necrosis generally refers to a necrosis that occurs in fragments.
When used in relation to the liver, piecemeal necrosis (also termed troxis necrosis,nibbling necrosis and interface necrosis) refers specifically to a loss and degeneration of (limiting plate) hepatocytes at the lobular-portal-interface, producing a moth-eaten irregular appearance. Piecemeal necrosis of the liver is associated with a lymphocytic infiltrate into the adjacent parenchyma, and with destruction of individual hepatocytes along the edges of the portal tract.
It is a feature of viral hepatitis (especially chronic hepatitis) as well as autoimmune hepatitis and steatohepatitis.