[Morphological changes in lungs of patients with spinal injuries died in hospital]

Morphological characteristics of changes in the spine and lungs in patients with spinal injuries dead in hospital are described. Spinal edemas were detected in all cases. Edemas were found even in subjects dead at the place where the injury was inflicted. Morphological changes in the lungs were characterized by a phase-wise process, depended on the volume of injury, duration of hospitalization, medical care rendered, and manifested by disorders of blood content of the organ, development of tissue edema, and pneumonia. These data do not rule out the development of pneumonia in patients with spinal injuries.