Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Articles

Postmortem lung and heart examination of COVID-19 patients in a case series from Jordan: Maram Abdaljaleel, Isra Tawalbeh, Malik Sallam, Amjad Bani Hani, Imad M. Al-Abdallat, Baheth Al Omari, Sahar Al-Mustafa, Hasan Abder-Rahman, Adnan Said Abbas, Mahmoud Zureigat, Mousa A. Al-Abbadi; J Pathol Transl Med. 2023;57(2):102-112. Published online March 14, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2023.01.30

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Abstract PDF: Background
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a pandemic for more than 2 years. Autopsy examination is an invaluable tool to understand the pathogenesis of emerging infections and their consequent mortalities. The aim of the current study was to present the lung and heart pathological findings of COVID-19–positive autopsies performed in Jordan.
Methods
The study involved medicolegal cases, where the cause of death was unclear and autopsy examination was mandated by law. We included the clinical and pathologic findings of routine gross and microscopic examination of cases that were positive for COVID-19 at time of death. Testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed through molecular detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction, serologic testing for IgM and electron microscope examination of lung samples.
Results
Seventeen autopsies were included, with male predominance (76.5%), Jordanians (70.6%), and 50 years as the mean age at time of death. Nine out of 16 cases (56.3%) had co-morbidities, with one case lacking such data. Histologic examination of lung tissue revealed diffuse alveolar damage in 13/17 cases (76.5%), and pulmonary microthrombi in 8/17 cases (47.1%). Microscopic cardiac findings were scarcely detected. Two patients died as a direct result of acute cardiac disease with limited pulmonary findings.
Conclusions
The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in postmortem examination can be an incidental or contributory finding which highlights the value of autopsy examination to determine the exact cause of death in controversial cases.

Medical Students' Attitudes Toward Autopsy and the Effect of Their Attitudes Following a Forensic Pathology Course.: Yoon Young Yang, Hee Kyung Park, Cheong Yi Park, Won Kee Lee, Sang Han Lee, Jung Sik Kwak, Jong Min Chae; Korean J Pathol. 2004;38(3):165-173.

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
The autopsy is a special surgical operation on a dead body to discover its cause of death. The autopsy is necessary for forensic uses, and it is also of great importance for educating students regarding medical uncertainty.
METHODS
To evaluate medical studentsO attitudes toward autopsy and the effect of their attitudes following a forensic pathology course, a questionnaire with 25 items that addressed the usefulness of autopsies and discomfort reactions was used. One hundred eighty nine medical students from 3 medical schools in Daegu participated in this study.
RESULTS
The medical students showed a high perception of an autopsy's principles, but the medical students were reluctant to become personally involved, despite being more aware of the necessities of the autopsy in forensic cases. Acceptance for the necessities of the autopsy for medical students who took the forensic pathology course was increased, but most of discomfort reactions were not improved.
CONCLUSIONS
One way to fulfill the role of forensic pathology as an inspector for human rights and to retain the very special source of knowledge that autopsies represent would be to provide medical education that lead to reconciliation of the discomfort feelings.

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