CSIM 1.82: Developmental and Perinatal Pathology

Question 1

What is maceration? What are the grades of this?

Answer 1

Breakdown of skin after intrauterine death, used to time foetal death, graded as follows:

Grade 0 - reddened skin up to 6 hours

Grade I - Slippage and peeling of skin 6-24 hours

Grade II - Extensive skin peeling, red serious effusions in chest, abdomen and pericardium. cranial compression and overlapping skull bones 2-7 days

Grade III - Red colour replaced with yellow-brown colour due to haemoglobin breakdown turbid effusions, widely open mouth over 8 days