ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Autopsy study has been considered the gold standard method for studying the effects of any disease on the body. Since COVID-19 is a novel disease, autopsy is crucial to understand its pathophysiology. This study was conducted to analyze the microscopic and macroscopic findings of various organs in COVID-19 and to associate those findings with clinical observations and laboratory findings. Methods: Conventional invasive autopsies were performed on 33 patients with COVID-19 from September 7, 2020 to December 23, 2020. All the organs were removed by routine dissection techniques and preserved in 10 per cent formalin. The tissues were processed and stained according to standard practices using haematoxylin-eosin (H & E) and periodic acid-schiff (PAS) stain. Results: The study included 28 males and 5 females with a median age of 61 yr (range 30-90 yr). Massive pulmonary oedema and thrombi in the lungs were the characteristic features macroscopically. On microscopic examination, diffuse alveolar damage in the exudative/proliferative phase was found in 29 (87.88%) cases. Among the other notable microscopic findings were bronchopneumonia and lung abscesses due to secondary bacterial infection (n=17, 51.52%), acute tubular injury (n=21, 63.64%) and thrombi in the lungs, heart, and kidneys. Interpretation & conclusions: COVID-19 primarily affected the respiratory and the renal systems in the vast majority of severely affected patients in our study. We also found signs of hypercoagulability, as evidenced by widespread thrombi in multiple organs, along with a raised d-dimer level and a hyperinflammatory state manifested by elevated inflammatory markers. Our autopsy findings and altered laboratory investigations support
ABSTRACT
Abstracts: Background & Objective: Age determination from degree of closure of sphenooccipital suture (Synchondrosis). Methodology: This study was conducted during the period of January 2012 to August 2013 at Department of Forensic Medicine, P.D.U. Govt. Medical College & Hospital, Rajkot. 100 cases of age between 8 to 26 years have been taken to cover minimum period of starting the fusion and maximum period of completion of fusion for age determination from sphenooccipital suture. Results: For male, minimum age for open, semi closed and closed sphenooccipital suture was 8 years, 13 years and 18 years respectively while for female, it was 8 years, 13 years and 16 years respectively. For male, maximum age for open, semi open and closed sphenooccipital suture was 13 years, 18 years and 26 years respectively while for female, it was 13 years, 16 years and 26 years respectively. Conclusion: Commencement of union at sphenooccipital suture occurs at the age of 13 years in both sex and complete obliteration of cartilaginous disc occurs at the age of 18 years in male and 16 years in female.
ABSTRACT
Abstracts: Background & Objective: Age determination from degree of closure of sphenooccipital suture (Synchondrosis). Methodology: This study was conducted during the period of January 2012 to August 2013 at Department of Forensic Medicine, P.D.U. Govt. Medical College & Hospital, Rajkot. 100 cases of age between 8 to 26 years have been taken to cover minimum period of starting the fusion and maximum period of completion of fusion for age determination from sphenooccipital suture. Results: For male, minimum age for open, semi closed and closed sphenooccipital suture was 8 years, 13 years and 18 years respectively while for female, it was 8 years, 13 years and 16 years respectively. For male, maximum age for open, semi open and closed sphenooccipital suture was 13 years, 18 years and 26 years respectively while for female, it was 13 years, 16 years and 26 years respectively. Conclusion: Commencement of union at sphenooccipital suture occurs at the age of 13 years in both sex and complete obliteration of cartilaginous disc occurs at the age of 18 years in male and 16 years in female.