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COVID-19 autopsies of Istanbul
Murat Nihat Arslan1, Yalçın Büyük2, Nihan Ziyade3
1Istanbul Morgue Department, Council of Forensic Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. mnarslan@yahoo.com.
Irish Journal of Medical Science
|March 23, 2021
Summary
Autopsies of COVID-19 cases reveal prominent pulmonary findings, primarily pneumonia. Older individuals with chronic diseases were identified as a high-risk group for fatal outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Infectious Disease Pathology
Background:
- Autopsy findings in COVID-19 cases are crucial for understanding disease progression.
- Safe handling protocols for bodies during the pandemic are essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document autopsy findings in confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.
- To outline safe autopsy procedures for handling suspicious deaths during the pandemic.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of COVID-19 positive cases from the Istanbul Morgue Department.
- Evaluation of sampling criteria for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests in suspicious deaths.
- Assessment of macroscopic and microscopic findings in PCR-positive autopsies.
Main Results:
- 26 out of 345 tested cases (7.5%) were COVID-19 positive.
- Viral pneumonia was the determined cause of death in fully autopsied cases.
- Common findings included swollen lungs, consolidation, and alveolar damage.
Conclusions:
- Pulmonary pathology, specifically pneumonia, is a dominant finding in COVID-19 autopsies.
- Advanced age and comorbidities increase the risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients.
- Autopsy data provides critical insights into the pathophysiology of fatal COVID-19.
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