Abstract

Introdution: Autopsy is recognized as a necessary part of medicine to establish final diagnosis, and relate the cause of death to the associated pathologies and the interaction between the two. Aim: To study and highlight the histopathological changes in lungs seen in autopsy cases. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in the department of Pathology in a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore. A total of 100 lung specimens received from the department of forensic medicine for clinical autopsy over 3 years (January 2016 to January 2019) were studied. After noting the patient details and autopsy findings, the specimens were examined grossly and based on the gross findings, representative bits were given for histopathological examination. The histopathological findings were noted and results were statistically analyzed. Results: Amongst the 100 lungs studied, the commonest lesion was Congestion and/ Pulmonary edema (64%), followed by non-tuberculous pneumonia (15%), chronic bronchitis (5%), emphysema (4%), tuberculous pneumonia (4%), autolytic changes (2%), pulmonary embolism (2%), lung abscess (1%) and an immature lung (1%). Conclusion: This study highlights the various lesions in lungs from patients with history of varied causes of death and the lung lesions contributing directly or indirectly to the cause of death.

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