Pathology

Question 1

What is the most common reason for an autopsy?

Answer 1

Medico-legal (>90%) - coronal or forensic. The coroner has a duty to investigate deaths of unknown cause of people under their jurisdiction.
(lecture 30/10/17)

Question 2

Who can perform an autopsy?

Answer 2

Forensic pathologist or histopathologist - both types of doctors with a license to autopsy. Histopathologists do hospital and coronial autopsies in cases of accidents, natural or suicides, and forensic pathologists do these as well as cases of neglect, homicide and death in custody.
(lecture 30/10/17)

Question 3

What are the categories of deaths referred to the coroner and an example of each?

Answer 3

Presumed natural (ie likely natural but unknown)
Presumed iatrogenic (eg complications of therapy)
Presumed unnatural (eg custody deaths)

Question 4

What are 3 differences between acute and chronic inflammation?

Answer 4

1. Acute comes on quickly, chronic slowly
2. acute usually resolves and does not last as long as chronic
3. Acute is associated with neutrophil polymorphs, while chronic is associated with macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells.
   (Lectures 30/10/17)

Question 5

What 3 processes does acute inflammation involve?

Answer 5

1. Changes in vessel calibre and flow
2. Increased vascular permeability and formation of fluid exudate
3. formation of cellular exudate.
   Lecture 30/10/17

Question 6

What are the possible outcomes of acute inflammation and why would each one occur?

Answer 6

Resolution - normal result
Suppuration - excessive exudate
Organisation and repair - if excessive necrosis. Leads to fibrosis.
Chronic inflammation - if causal agent persists. Also leads to fibrosis.
Lecture 30/10/17

Question 7

What cells are involved in chronic inflammation?

Answer 7

Lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages.

30/10/17

Question 8

What are 3 causes of chronic inflammation and an example of each?

Answer 8

Resistance of infective agent to phagocytosis eg TB,
Endogenous material eg uric acid crystals,
exogenous materials eg asbestos,
autoimmune eg RA,
specific eg UC,
primary granulomatous eg Crohn’s.
Lecture 30/10/17

Question 9

What are the macroscopic features of chronic inflammation?

Answer 9

Fibrosis, 
chronic ulcer, 
chronic abscess cavity, 
thickening of the wall of a hollow viscus,
granulomatous inflammation.
lecture 30/10/17