癌瘤转移规律的探讨

在 4 0 0例恶性肿瘤尸解中 ,32 1例 (80 3% )癌 ,79例肉瘤 ,其中 6 5例淋巴瘤 ,14例 (3 5 % )为软组织及骨肿瘤 ,肿瘤转移到肝及肺最常见。有 16 3例转移到肺及肝 ,各占 4 0 5 %。肝的转移瘤依次主要来自乳腺、大肠、卵巢、胃及非何杰金淋巴瘤 (NHL)。肺的转移瘤主要来自乳腺、肝、NHL ,胃及卵巢。淋巴结转移主要累及颈部、纵隔及主动脉周围淋巴结。广泛转移的肿瘤是肺癌、胃癌、乳腺癌和淋巴瘤。尸检材料显示 ,宫颈癌、膀胱癌、咽癌及睾丸肿瘤主要是局部侵犯 ,转移并不广泛。本研究显示 ,恶性肿瘤的扩散与转移基本有下列方式 :直接侵袭 :很多肿瘤可能直接累及周围组织。例如胃肠癌 ,癌细胞沿着肌组织间隙进入临近器官。淋巴管扩散 :任何器官或组织的肿瘤细胞可能进入淋巴管而转移到局部或远处淋巴结 ,它是癌的主要转移方式。血道转移 :远处转移在尸检材料中很常见 ,最常累及的器官是肝和肺 ,特别是软组织肉瘤 ,但晚期癌也很常见血道转移。种植性转移 :这也是很常见的转移方式 ,特别是胃癌、大肠癌、卵巢癌等。本研究也显示与癌瘤手术标本对比研究、肿瘤转移与临床分期、肿瘤部位、组织学类型及分化程度等有密切关系     

胆囊三角的应用解剖学在腹腔镜胆囊切除术中的应用

[目的]探讨胆囊三角区的血管、胆管及肝管解剖关系,为腹腔镜胆囊切除术提供解剖学依据.[方法]给26具防腐成年尸体标本行胆囊三角区显微解剖,观测胆管及血管的走行分布特点及与周围结构的解剖关系.[结果]胆囊管的长度为(31.12±1.16)mm,直径为(3.12±0.26)mm;左右肝管汇合点距肝表面长度为(12.26±1.18)mm,左肝管长度为(16.26±1.42)mm,右肝管长度为(8.86±0.72)mm,少数标本的肝总管于肝内汇合.单支型胆囊动脉可走行于肝总管的前方或肝总管的后方;双支型和多支型胆囊动脉可同时走行于肝总管的前方或肝总管的后方,也可分别走行于肝总管的前方或后方.胆囊动脉直径为(1.68±0.40)mm,肝右动脉直径为(3.20±1.50)mm.部分标本胆囊三角内可见1,2个胆囊淋巴结,直径为(3.32±0.26)mm.[结论]胆囊动脉在其起始、分支及走行等方面存在变异;胆囊管长短不一,形态多样,管径变化较大,存在较多的变异.行腹腔镜胆囊切除术时,应该仔细辨认胆囊管、肝总管及胆总管的关系及解剖学特征,以防止对胆囊三角区组织结构的破坏.     

Diagnosis and Incidence of fetal Parvovirus Infection in an Autopsy Series: I. Histology

This study was undertaken to obtain additional information about the incidence and characteristics of fetal parvovirus B19 infection in an unselected autopsy series, and to assess the distribution and quantitation of inclusions in various organs. Autopsy records from 673 fetal and neonatal autopsies performed at Women and Infants' Hospital during 1985 through 1990 were reviewed. Thirty-two cases of hydrops fetalis were identified, and, of these, 5 had parvovirus infection. This gives an incidence of fetal parvovirus infection resulting in hydrops fetalis of 0. 7% among all autopsies, and a 16% incidence among cases of hydrops. Thirty-five percent of the cases of hydrops had malformations; a muscular ventricular septal defect was noted in one of the 5 cases of parvovirus infection. All 5 parvovirus cases had characteristic erylhroid nuclear inclusions, and these inclusions were resistant to tissue degenerative changes. The most reliable tissue for histologic diagnosis was the liver, followed by heart and lung. Only 2 of 5 placentas had diagnostic inclusions, making examination of the placenta alone insufficient for ruling out fetal parvovirus infection.     

The last period of life of the very old. A pilot study evaluating the psychological autopsy method

In a pilot study, the Weisman psychological autopsy was tested as a method of gaining information about the last period of life of patients age 85 and older. The main purpose for using this method is to obtain knowledge about patients' thoughts, feelings and reactions towards impending death. Twelve deceased patients were selected and the staff members who had cared for those patients were interviewed. A special guide for interviewing was followed and the interviews took place on the second or third day after death. In these twelve interviews a total of 32 staff members participated. It was shown that the staff members were well informed on issues concerning the patients daily life, health condition and medical treatment. On issues such as religious belief, perception of impending death, meaning of life and fear and joy, the staff members were mostly unaware of the patients' thoughts, feelings and reactions. The conclusion is that before using the psychological autopsy method in interviewing personnel, the level of knowledge about the patients must be tested.     

The validity of diagnoses obtained through the psychological autopsy procedure in adolescent suicide victims: use of family history

A test of validity of the psychiatric diagnoses obtained by the psychological autopsy procedure is described in a consecutive series of 67 adolescent suicide victims. Family history of mental illness in first-degree relatives of subjects was obtained blind to subject diagnosis using the family history method. It was hypothesized that subjects with a given diagnosis, compared with subjects without this diagnosis, would show an increased rate of this disorder among first-degree relatives. This hypothesis was supported insofar as specific associations between subject diagnosis and familial rates of illness were demonstrated for major depression, bipolar illness, conduct and antisocial disorder and substance abuse. These results provide further support for the validity of diagnoses obtained through the psychological autopsy procedure.     

Short Rib-Polydactyly Syndrome Type II (Majewski Syndrome): A Case Report

The Majewski type of Short Rib-Polydactyly syndrome is a rare lethal dwarfism syndrome that has recently been recognized as a distinct entity. The full range of associated anomalies remains to be described. This case report details the clinical and autopsy findings in this condition and reviews the differential diagnosis of polydactylous dwarfing syndromes.     

Respiratory outcomes among South African coal miners at autopsy

BACKGROUND: Studies of dose-response relationships between respiratory outcomes at autopsy and coal dust exposure are limited. The Pathology Automation System (PATHAUT) database of South African miners, is one of the largest autopsy databases of occupational lung disease. This study described the prevalence of respiratory outcomes among South African coal miners at autopsy, and determined whether dose response relationships existed between emphysema and exposure. METHODS: Autopsies conducted from 1975 to 1997 on coal miners with exclusive coal mining exposure and having exposure duration information (n = 3,167) were analyzed from PATHAUT. Logistic regression was used to determine relationships between exposure and outcomes, controlling for race, smoking and age on a subset for whom smoking history was available (n = 725). RESULTS: The mean duration of exposure was 11.0 years. Most were black miners (75.3%) with significant differences in the mean ages of black and white miners (37.9 and 55.3 years, respectively). Only 22.9% of cases had information on smoking. The prevalence of silicosis, tuberculosis (TB), coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), and moderate and marked emphysema were 10.7%, 5.2%, 7.3%, and 6.4%, respectively. All diseases, except TB, were associated with exposure duration. Black miners had 8.3 and 1.2 fold greater risks for TB and CWP, respectively, than white miners. White miners had an increased risk of 1.4 and 5.4 for silicosis and moderate to marked emphysema, respectively. In models unadjusted for age, and including smoking, moderate to marked emphysema was strongly associated with exposure duration (OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.9-5.9 for highest tercile of exposure duration). Exposure-related risk estimates were reduced when age was introduced into the model. However, age and duration of exposure were highly correlated, (r = 0.68) suggesting a dilution of the exposure effect by age. CONCLUSIONS: There were significant dose related associations of disease, including emphysema, with coal dust exposure.     

The prevalence of renal cell carcinoma diagnosed at autopsy

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) detected only at autopsy, from two periods, to determine if the apparent recent increase in RCC in the USA is a true increase or mainly a result of improved imaging techniques, as a true increase in the clinical incidence of RCC should not affect the number of previously undiscovered RCC found only at autopsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified all individuals who underwent autopsy in two periods, 1955-60 (3307) and 1991-2001 (2938), and who were identified with renal tumour either before or after death. Information was obtained on age, sex, histological type and size of tumour, and whether the tumour was identified before or only after death. All cases of RCC detected at autopsy were reviewed for this analysis by one pathologist (L.D.). RESULTS: Between 1955-60 and 1991-2001 there was a 55% reduction in the mean annual number of autopsies. The proportion of malignant renal masses (RCC) did not change significantly (35.4% to 32.8%). The rate of previously unsuspected RCC detected only at autopsy did not change significantly (0.91 vs 0.72 per 100 autopsies). CONCLUSION: The number of renal masses, both benign and malignant, discovered only at autopsy is declining, possibly because of better detection before death. However, the rate of occult kidney cancer per 100 autopsies did not change significantly between the two periods, suggesting a true increase in the frequency of clinically detected kidney cancer.     

Predicting in vitro tissue culture growth for cytogenetic evaluation of stillborn fetuses

A prospective study was undertaken of 131 perinatal deaths to determine whether gestational age, body weight, maceration degree and autopsy interval influenced successful in vitro tissue culture for cytogenetic evaluation. Perinatal populations were categorized as neonatal death (NND), fresh stillbirth (FSB), or graded as macerated stillbirth (MAC-0, MAC-1, MAC-2, MAC-3). Metaphase production by at least 15 cells separated 'growth' from 'no growth' categories after sampling liver, kidney and spleen. Body weight and degree of maceration were predictive of successful 'growth', while gestational age and autopsy interval were not. Body weight was significant in separating 'growth' from 'no growth' in NND (P = 0.05), FSB, MAC-0 and MAC-1 (P = 0.01). Growth probabilities were 0.78 (NND), 0.57 (FSB), 0.49 (MAC-0), 0.38 (MAC-1) and zero for MAC-2 and MAC-3. We conclude that (a) tissues from MAC-2 and MAC-3 fetuses do not grow and thus need not be sampled at autopsy, (b) maceration degree and body weight can be used to predict the growth probability in the other categories, (c) tissue samples can be taken during daylight hours, since autopsy interval does not influence successful growth provided the fetus is refrigerated at 4 degrees C, (d) all of the above conclusions have cost-efficiency implications for cytogenetic laboratories.     

Bilateral extensive cerebral infarction and mesenteric ischemia associated with segmental arterial mediolysis in two young women

Segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) is a rare non-atherosclerotic non-inflammatory vascular disease that affects mainly muscular arteries of the splanchnic and cerebral territories. Reported herein are two cases of SAM in young women with fatal outcome. One of the patients had an atypical form of the disease, which primarily affected small intestinal submucosal and subserosal arteries, and resulted in acute mesenteric ischemia. The other had bilateral brain infarction with SAM of internal carotid arteries (ICA). Pathological examination of both cases did not reveal the cause of blood flow disturbance: large mesenteric branches of the former and ICA of the latter were free of either dissection or thrombosis; in addition, small intestinal arteries of the first patient did not show signs of vasculitis. These findings suggest that unusual pathways of arterial occlusion and dissection may occur in the context of SAM.