Fetal autopsy

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The fetal autopsy is done to determine the cause of death in a fetus. An introduction to the autopsy is in the autopsy article.

External exam

Post-mortem changes with intrauterine death (sequence):[1]

  • Normal ~0-12 hours.
  • Skin blistering - usu. prominent on head ~12-48 hours.
  • Moderate skin separation (sloughing) - usu. hands & feet ~48-72 hours
  • Massive skin separation and loosing of symphysis menti (midline mandible), symphysis pubis ~72+ hours.

Routinue sections

  1. Rib.
  2. Thymus, skin, diaphragm, psoas muscle.
  3. Rectum, duodenum, ileocecal region, mesentery.
  4. Adrenal gland.
  5. Kidney.
  6. Bladder.
  7. Internal genitalia.
  8. Spleen.
  9. Stomach, GE junction, GD junction, pancreas.
  10. Liver.
  11. Right lung.
  12. Left lung.
  13. Heart.
  14. Upper airway with thyroid.
  15. Pituitary.

Histology

Adrenal gland

  • Centre regresses.

Kidney

  • Cortex regresses.

Lung

Thymus

  • Hassall's corpuscles (thymic corpuscle).

Image: Thymic corpuscle (WC).

See also

References

  1. Burton, Julian L.; Rutty, Guy N. (2010). The Hospital Autopsy A Manual of Fundamental Autopsy Practice (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 191. ISBN 978-0340965146.