Pulmonary infarct

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Pulmonary infarct is the death of lung tissue due to oxygen deprivation.

It is also known as a lung infarct, lung infarction, and pulmonary infarction.

General

  • Uncommon because of the dual blood supply (systemic via the bronchial arteries, pulmonary via the pulmonary arteries).

Common causes:[1]

Less common causes:

Gross

  • Lung periphery, classically described as wedge-shaped.

Note:

  • In a histologic section, the classic wedge-shaped infarct is triangular:
    • Base of triangle on the pleural aspect.
    • Point furthest from the pleura close to the compromised artery that lead to infarction.

Image:

Microscopic

Features:

  • Necrosis of alveolar walls - loss of nuclei.
  • Alveolar hemorrhage.

Image

See also

References