Disseminated intravascular coagulation involving the brain: a topographical study

Histopathological study on 723 brains from routine necropsies was performed. Ten brains (1.38 percent) were found to have histological lesions of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) with multiple fresh fibrin and/or platelet thrombi in the cerebral microcirculation. Among them, premortem diagnosis was made in only one case, and only two cases also showed evidence of visceral involvement. Microthrombi were found most frequently in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamic region and in the cerebral white matter, brain stem, and cerebellum, in descending order. Neurological symptoms and signs, including lethargy, coma and seizure, were detected in all cases. The abnormal body temperature and/or urinary output observed in most patients appeared to be related to the frequent hypothalamic involvement by DIC. The exclusive or predominant involvement of the brain by multiple microthrombi may be considered as a localized form of DIC. It is probably related to cerebral ischemia since severe acute neuronal ischemic changes also were noted in most brains.