Difference between revisions of "Autopsy"

Revision as of 18:54, 7 September 2010

Autopsy is a part of pathology.

External exam

Is very important in the forensic context.

External exam findings are found in the forensic pathology article.

Internal exam

Is usually where the money is in non-forensic autopsies, i.e. hospital autopsies.

Spleen

Main article: Spleen

Sugar-coated spleen

Properly referred to as hyaloserositis of the spleen.
Capsule of the spleen is white - resembles sugar-coating.
Importance: none - benign.

Liver

Portal vein patency.

Kidney

Size of the kidney - small kidneys are seen in chronic renal failure.

Nephrosclerosis

Flea-bitten appearance - seen in hypertension.^[1]

ATN

ATN is difficult to prove on autopsy material.
Look for:
- Heme-granular casts in the lumen.
- Regenerative activity (mitoses).

Brain

One should saw through the skull completely, i.e. one should not "crack" the skull open with a chisel.
- Cracking open the skull may result in artefactual fractures that are impossible to differentiate from antemortem fractures.
- Cuts into the brain (from opening the skull) are not difficult to distinguish from antemortem injuries.

Weird stuff

Methylene blue, used for refractory shock,^[2] turns organs green.^[3]

Leukostasis in acute myelogenous leukemia can lead to congestion of organs and fatal haemorrhages.

Hyperviscosity syndrome - in leukemia.^[4]

Todo

Normal organ mass.

References

↑ Ono, H.; Ono, Y. (Nov 1997). "Nephrosclerosis and hypertension.". Med Clin North Am 81 (6): 1273-88. PMID 9356598.
↑ Heemskerk, S.; van Haren, FM.; Foudraine, NA.; Peters, WH.; van der Hoeven, JG.; Russel, FG.; Masereeuw, R.; Pickkers, P. (Feb 2008). "Short-term beneficial effects of methylene blue on kidney damage in septic shock patients.". Intensive Care Med 34 (2): 350-4. doi:10.1007/s00134-007-0867-9. PMID 17926021.
↑ Tan, CD.; Rodriguez, ER.. "Blue dye, green heart.". Cardiovasc Pathol 19 (2): 125-6. doi:10.1016/j.carpath.2008.06.012. PMID 18703358.
↑ http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18942659

External links

[pmid9356598-1] Ono, H.; Ono, Y. (Nov 1997). "Nephrosclerosis and hypertension.". Med Clin North Am 81 (6): 1273-88. PMID 9356598.

[pmid17926021-2] Heemskerk, S.; van Haren, FM.; Foudraine, NA.; Peters, WH.; van der Hoeven, JG.; Russel, FG.; Masereeuw, R.; Pickkers, P. (Feb 2008). "Short-term beneficial effects of methylene blue on kidney damage in septic shock patients.". Intensive Care Med 34 (2): 350-4. doi:10.1007/s00134-007-0867-9. PMID 17926021.

[pmid18703358-3] Tan, CD.; Rodriguez, ER.. "Blue dye, green heart.". Cardiovasc Pathol 19 (2): 125-6. doi:10.1016/j.carpath.2008.06.012. PMID 18703358.

[4] ttp://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18942659

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@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 ==Brain==
-*One should saw through the skull completely, i.e. one should not crack the skull open with a chisel.
+*One should saw through the skull completely, i.e. one should not "crack" the skull open with a chisel.
+**Cracking open the skull may result in artefactual fractures that are impossible to differentiate from antemortem fractures.
+**Cuts into the brain (from opening the skull) are not difficult to distinguish from antemortem injuries.
 ==Weird stuff==