ABSTRACT
The primary causes of death in 556 autopsy cases of perinatal death during the six years from 1979 through 1984 are discussed. On the basis of the clinical data and gross and microscopic findings, each case was assigned to one of the following categories of primary causes of death: a pulmonary hyaline membrane disease, infection, malformation, anoxia, immaturity, maternal causes, other causes, and unaccounted for Definitions of perinatal infant diseases, essential points of diagnosis, and statistics relating to perinatal infant death are also discussed.
Subject(s)
Infant Mortality , Autopsy , Congenital Abnormalities/mortality , Female , Fetal Death , Fetal Hypoxia/mortality , Greece , Humans , Hyaline Membrane Disease/mortality , Infant, Newborn , Infections/mortality , PregnancyABSTRACT
A fatal case of the megacystis-microcolon syndrome in a newborn girl is presented and two previously unreported findings are discussed. The umbilical hernia is thought to represent a mechanically induced embryological defect, secondary to the expanding nonfunctional megacystis which appears to be the dominant component from an early stage. Hypertrophic changes of the large intestinal wall musculature, adjacent to dilated segments, may indicate an impaired propulsive activity in utero, as a result of defective neurotransmission. The latter is proposed as the common pathophysiological mechanism for both urinary and intestinal malfunction.
