[Principles of pathological diagnosis in children with congenital abnormalities]

The features of establishment of pathological diagnosis in children with congenital malformations (CM) are discussed. An analysis of 1058 autopsy records of the centralized department of pathology of the Children's Clinical Hospital No. 1, Moscow, was carried out. CM were found in 236 cases (22.3% of the total number of autopsies). In 117 cases (49.6% of all CM observations) CM was the main disease, in 82 (34.7%) observations CM were combined with other diseases. In the establishment of pathological diagnosis in cases of combined diseases, the epidemiological situation, the importance of one or another process for statistical generalizations should be taken into consideration. In our opinion, preference should be given to cases of intrauterine, highly contagious, and nosocomial infections. In 37 (15.7%) observations CM exerted no effect on the course of the disease and was classified as the background condition.