Autopsy

Blast injury is becoming more common in the non-military population but it is still rare to see such injuries and deaths unrelated to terrorist acts. The exact mechanisms involved in blast injuries are unclear. Civilian physicians and surgeons need to have a basic understanding of the patho-mechanics and physiological effects of blast injuries. We report a case where a 31-year-old male accidentally detonated a diesel storage tank. His autopsy findings provide useful information for those who investigate explosive-related deaths.

BACKGROUND Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) via central venous catheter (CVC) is used routinely to provide adequate nutrition for neonates, especially those with very low birth weights (VLBWN). Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade (PCE/CT) is a potentially life-threatening CVC complication. DESIGN This autopsy study presents the gross and histopathologic findings in 5 neonates receiving continuous TPN via CVCs, who suddenly and unexpectedly died from PCECT. RESULTS The study population included five neonates (age 4-29 days, 3 males, 2 females, 4 VLBWN neonates, 1 full-term neonate). Chemical analysis of the milky-white PCE fluid showed high triglyceride levels (717-777 mg/dL) consistent with intralipid. Right atrial microscopic examination with the four VLBWNs showed interstitial edema and dilated lymphatics (n=4), atrial thrombus (n=1), and focal fibrinous epicardial exudate (n=1). The full-term neonate RA revealed focal myocyte coagulative necrosis, acute organizing hemorrha...

A study was performed in order to determine helminths of laboratory animals. Fecal specimens obtained from 110 mice, 263 rats and 65 rabbits were investigated and 37 rats and 7 rabbits were necropsied. In general, 83.8% rats were found to be infected by necropsy, while 100% of mice,and 81.8% of rats were found to be infected with one or more helminths species by fecal examination. No rabbits were found to be infected by necropsy or fecal examination. In fecal examination of mice and rats, the prevalence of helminths was detected as follows: Syphacia muris, 100%; Aspicularis tetraptera, 53.6%; Syphacia obvelata, 46.4%; and Hymenolepis diminuta 17.9% in mice. The prevalence in rats was H. Diminuta, 62.5%; S. muris, 25%; Hymenolepis nana, 6.8%; and Trichosomoides crassicauda, 6.8%. In necropsy, S. muris was identified in all of infected rats, but only one was infected with A. tetraptera.

OBJECTIVE To determine the cause of sudden cardiac death and observe the morphological changes in the heart after death. METHODS A cross sectional survey of 66 cases was carried out at Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) Rawalpindi from 1992 to 1994. A detailed autopsy including external and internal postmortem examination was done. Representative sections were taken for histopathological examination and some viscera were sent to Chemical Examiner at Lahore for chemical analysis. RESULTS All the cases were male with age range from 21 to 58 years. These cases died within 60 minutes with or without onset of symptoms. Fifty two cases revealed mild to severe atherosclerosis. Coronary occlusion with thrombosis was seen in 37 cases whereas 9 cases showed critical narrowing without evidence of thrombosis. Five showed both symmetric and asymmetric hypertrophy. Changes in conduction system of the heart were seen in 4 individuals. Myocarditis was noted in 2 cases only. The cause of dea...

Normal human tissues, bodily fluids, and other biospecimens of known quality are essential for research to understand the development of cancer and other diseases and to develop new diagnostics and therapies. However, obtaining normal biospecimens appropriate for contemporary large-scale molecular and genomic research is one of the most challenging biospecimen acquisition problems for scientists and biospecimen resources that support research. Recognizing this challenge, the U.S. National Cancer Institute recently convened a series of workshops and meetings focused on the acquisition of normal tissues for research and produced an extensive document, Recommendations for Postmortem Recovery of Normal Human Biospecimens for Research. This article summarizes these recommendations, addressing key ethical, operational, and scientific elements for collecting normal reference biospecimens from postmortem donors in the U.S. Awareness of these recommendations can foster more effective collabo...

La fibrosis quística es una enfermedad autosómica recesiva, de evolución crónica y progresiva que afecta principalmente a los pulmones y ésta tiene compromiso multisistémico. La población más afectada son niños y adultos jóvenes, prevalente en raza blanca y caucásica. Originada por mutaciones en el Gen CFTR (localizado en el brazo largo del cromosoma 7) afectando el transporte de los electrolitos en la membrana apical de las células epiteliales. Sus manifestaciones clínicas son variables que pueden ser desde muy leves hasta producir síntomas de cronicidad, conduciendo éstos a la muerte. Actualmente, el tratamiento se basa en mejorar la calidad de vida, aumentando la supervivencia de los pacientes.

Background: Perinatal (stillbirths and first week neonatal deaths) and neonatal (deaths in the first 4 weeks) mortality rates remain high in developing countries like Nepal. As most births and deaths occur in the community, an option to ascertain causes of death is to conduct verbal autopsy. Objective: The objective of this study was to classify and review the causes of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Dhanusha district, Nepal. Materials and Methods: Births and neonatal deaths were identified prospectively in 60 village development committees of Dhanusha district. Families were interviewed at six weeks after delivery, using a structured questionnaire. Cause of death was assigned independently by two pediatricians according to a predefined algorithm; disagreement was resolved in discussion with a consultant neonatologist. Results: There were 25,982 deliveries in the 2 years from September 2006 to August 2008. Verbal autopsies were available for 601/813 stillbirths and 671/954 neona...

We present the second part of our review concerning the history of autopsy. During the development of medicine the role of autopsy was obviously changing. Concurrently with the progress in the anatomical knowledge, the anatomists observed and noted both single anomalies and repetitive changes which correlated with symptoms in living patients. This is how anatomopathology came into being. We present the most famous people engaged in autopsy comprehension. We discuss main trends and ideas influencing the phenomenon of autopsy in the analyzed period: from sporadic public dissections, through theatra anatomica, introduction of autopsy to the hospital medicine and separation of anatomopathology as a medical speciality. The golden age of autopsy was the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, with a consecutive decline in frequency. Nevertheless, despite the progress in diagnostics in vivo, it seems that autopsy will keep its important place in medicine according to the old m...

Can someone claim property rights on a corpse? If so, to whom it belongs? If not, are there any limits to the "use-exploitation" of the human body? This paper discusses the ethical issues that arise in education and research with cadaveric materials by conducting a review of the international literature. In the light of various scandals concerning the retention of cadaveric tissues and organs and their use in education and research, the legislative framework in the UK was revised in 2006 to regulate the
management of a corpse. Similar acts exist in many other countries. In Greece, the current legal system only regulates the use of biological materials for transplantation, leaving a "gap" in education and research issues after death. Greece must leave behind the paternalism of the past and follow the principles of information and consent.

We report a multiple homicide in Angola involving six Portuguese citizens. Immediately after the crime, four bodies were retrieved from the homicide site. Forensic autopsies were allegedly performed by local doctors and three bodies were transferred to Portugal, where they were buried with no extra expertise, presumably identified only by the examinations carried out in Angola. The two remaining bodies, presumably from sub-adults, were only discovered 1 year later. At that time, some bone samples of these two corpses were sent to Portugal. A multidisciplinary team of the National Institute of Legal Medicine (NILM) in Portugal, including forensic anthropologist and pathologists, and forensic geneticist, found out that the bodies were previously misidentified. In fact, the anthropological and genetic examinations on the remains of the two persons showed that they did not belong to a child and an adolescent but instead to two adult victims, at least one of them was supposed to be buried in Portugal since 1 year. The verification of this misunderstanding led to a series of exhumations, of the three victims previously buried in Portugal. In all, the identities were reconstructed and the cause of death could be established in four of them. A multiplicity of severe traumatic cranial injuries were detected, which were, undoubtedly due to a violent death.

The objective of the study was to present both the possibilities of documenting the course and results of crime scene reconstruction using 3D laser scanning technology and the legal basis for application of this technology in evidence collection. The authors present the advantages of the aforementioned method, such as precision, objectivity, resistance of the measurement parameters to manipulation (comparing to other methods), high imaging resolution, touchless data recording, nondestructive testing, etc. Moreover, trough the analysis of the current legal regulations concerning image recording in criminal proceedings, the authors show 3D laser scanning technology to have a full complete ability to be applied in practice in documentation of the course and results of crime scene reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION 5
CHAPTER 1: WHAT IN CREMATION IS GOING ON? 7
CHAPTER 2: THE ORIGIN AND PRACTICE OF CREMATION 15
CHAPTER 3: THE HISTORIC JUDEO–CHRISTIAN VIEW ON CREMATION 27
CHAPTER 4: THE REASONS FOR CREMATION EXAMINED 39
CHAPTER 5: IS CREMATION A PROPER PRACTICE? 63
CHAPTER 6: WHAT ABOUT EMBALMING? 73
CHAPTER 7: WHAT ABOUT ORGAN DONATION? 82
CHAPTER 8: WHAT IS CYRONIC SUSPENSION? 87
CHAPTER 9: CANNIBALISM: ARE YOU SERIOUS? 93
CHAPTER 10: ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS 98
APPENDIX 1: CREMATION STATISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES 108
APPENDIX 2: VARIOUS RELIGIONS ON CREMATION 112
ANNOTATED SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 115
BIBLIOGRAPHY 117
GLOSSARY 128

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The main objective of this study was to identify the clinical-pathological discrepancies in autopsies performed in the institution. We reviewed autopsies of clinical cases in 53 adults in the period between January 2005 and June 2009, carried out in the Pathology Service at the Hospital Privado de Córdoba, Argentina. Six autopsies were excluded due to insufficient information. The Goldman et al. classification was applied to establish clinico-pathologic discrepancies between clinical diagnoses and autopsy findings. Frequently clinical diagnoses were respiratory infections and acute pulmonary embolism. The most frequently reported postmortem diagnoses were respiratory infections and acute myocardial infarction. There were 17 major discrepancies and 30 coincidences. No any minor discrepancy was detected. Respiratory infections were the main cause of error, followed by myocardial infarction. We conclude that in 17/47 (37%) of cases the pre-mortem and postmortem diagnoses were different...