Pathology Flashcards
2 types of autopsy? % of each one? 2 subtypes of medico-legal autopsies?
Hospital- less than 10%, need medical certificate of death, used for teaching, research and governance
More than 90%
Coronial- death is not due to unlawful action
Forensic- thought unlawful e.g. murder
Role of coronial autopsy is to answer what 4 questions?
Who was deceased? When did they die? Where did they die? How did their death come about?
Essential same role as coroner
3 reasons for being referred to a coroner?
Presumed natural- cause of death unknown, hasn’t seen doctor within 14 days prior to death, most common reason for referral
Presumed iatrogenic- peri/ postoperative, anaesthetic deaths, illegal abortions
Presumed unnatural- accidents, industrial death, suicide, unlawful killing e.g. murder, neglect, custody death
Who refers to a coroner?
Doctors- do not have statutory duty to refer, common law duty, GMC will provide guidance
Registrar of BDM- statutory duty to refer
Relatives, police
Histopathologist carries out what autopsies? Forensic pathologist?
Hopsital and coronial autopsies- natural deaths, drowning, suicide, accidents, road traffic deaths, fire deaths, industrial deaths, peri/ post op deaths
Coronial- homicide, death in custody, neglect, any above that may be due to action of third party
External examination identifiers in autopsy? What does evisceration involve?
Formal identifiers, gender, age, body habitus, jewellery, body modification, clothing
Disease and treatment, injuries
Y-shaped from behind ears down to clavicles then down to mid-line incision
Open all body cavities, examine all organs in situ, remove thoracic and abdominal organs, remove brain
Internal examination in autopsy looks at what organs? Avoid what organs?
Heart and great vessels, lungs, trachea, bronchi, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, genitourinary tract- common for cancer, endocrine organs, CNS
Lower GI- infection risk
Acute inflammation is what and lasts how long? e.g.? What is inflammation? Pros and cons?
Initial and often transient series of tissue reactions to injury- from few hours to few days
Appendicitis
Local physiological response to tissue injury, not disease but instead usually manifestation of disease
Destruction of invading microorganisms and walling off an abscess cavity thereby preventing spread of infection
Abscess in brain acts as space-occupying compressing vital surrounding structures, fibrosis from chronic inflammation may distort tissues and permanently alter their function
2 components of acute inflammation? WBC cell recruited to tissue? 4 outcomes of acute inflammation? Involved in organisation?
Vascular- dilation of vessels, exudative- vascular leakage of protein-rich fluid
Neutrophil polymorph
Resolution- goes away, suppuration- pus formation e.g. abscess, organisation, progression to chronic
Healing by fibrosis- scar formation, substantial damage to connective tissue framework and/ or tissue lack ability to regenerate specialised cells
When fibrosis occurs in acute inflammation, macrophages remove what from damaged areas? Defect then becomes filled by what known as what? Granulation tissue then gradually produces what to form fibrous scar?
Dead tissues and acute inflammatory exudate
Ingrowth of specialised vascular connective tissue known as granulation tissue
Collagen
5 main causes of acute inflammation? What is tissue necrosis?
Microbial infections, hypersensitivity reactions, physical agents- trauma, ionising radiation, heat, cold, chemicals- corrosives, acids, alkalis, reducing agents, bacterial toxins
Ischaemic infarction
Bacteria form what to cause acute inflammation? Parasitic and TB inflammation are where what is important? How do corrosive chemicals provoke inflammation? Infecting agents may release what to lead directly to inflammation?
Exotoxins- specifically initiate inflammation
Endotoxins- associated with their cell walls
Hypersensitivity
Through gross tissue damage
Specific chemical irritants
What is tissue necrosis? The edge of a recent infarction often shows what?
Death of tissues from lack of oxygen or nutrients from infarction
An acute inflammatory response due to peptides released from dead tissue
5 macroscopic appearance of acute inflammation?
Redness- rubor, heat-calor, swelling- tumour, pain- donor, loss of function
Why would skin appear red? Increase in temp is seen only where? Due to what? Systemic fever results from what?
Due to dilation of small blood vessels within damaged area
In peripheral parts of body
Increased blood flow- hyperaemia, vascular dilation
Some of the chemical mediators of inflammation, also contributes to local temp
Swelling results from what? As inflammation progresses, formation of what contributes to swelling?
Oedema- fluid in extravascular space as part of fluid exudate and from inflammatory cells migrating into area
Formation of new connective tissue
Pain results from what? What chemical mediators are known to induce pain? What does pain inhibit?
Stretching and distortion of tissues due to inflammatory oedema and pus under pressure in abscess cavity
Bradykinin, prostaglandins and serotonin
Movement of inflamed area
In early stages of acute inflammation, what accumulates in extracellular spaces of damaged tissue? 3 main acute inflammatory responses?
Oedema fluid, fibrin, neutrophil polymorphs
Changes in vessel calibre, increased vascular permeability and formation of fluid exudate, formation of cellular exudate- emigration of NPs into EV space
In acute inflammation, what relax thereby increasing blood flow through capillaries contributing to redness and heat? What pressure increases in acute inflammation and what escapes into extravascular space? Net escape of protein-rich fluid called what? Fluid is called what?
Smooth muscle of arteriolar walls forming precapillary sphincters
Capillary hydrostatic pressure and plasma proteins- increases osmotic pressure there, so more fluid leaves
Exudation
Fluid exudate
3 main causes of increased vascular permeability? 4 stages of neutrophil polymorph emigration?
Immediate transient- chemical mediators e.g. histamine, bradykinin, nitric oxide, C5a, leukotriene B4 and platelet activating factor
Immediate sustained- severe direct vascular injury e.g. trauma
Delayed prolonged- endothelial cell injury e.g. X-rays and bacterial toxins
Margination, adhesion, emigration, diapedesis
In acute inflammation, loss of intravascular fluid and increase in plasma viscosity with slowing of flow allows what to happen? What is pavementing? Occurs when and only where?
Neutrophils to flow in plasmatic zone
Adhesion of neutrophils to vascular endothelium that occurs at site of acute inflammation
Early in response
Only in venues
Increased leucocyte adhesion results from interaction between leucocyte and what? Many classes of adhesion molecules- some are made more active by variety of what?
Paired adhesion molecules on leucocyte and endothelial surfaces
Chemical inflammatory mediators
Leucocytes migrates through walls of what, but do not commonly exit from where? How do neutrophils, eosinophil polymorphs and macrophages move in between endothelial cells?
Walls of venues and small veins, but do not commonly exit from capillaries
They insert pseudopodia, migrate through gap and then on through basal lamina into vessel wall
What is diapedesis? Large numbers of red cells in extracellular space implies what?
RBCs may escape from vessels, but in this case is passive and depends on hydrostatic pressure forcing red cells out
Severe vascular injury such as tear in vessel wall
Early in the acute inflammatory response, what 2 things are released by the original inflammatory stimulus? What does this cause? Overall effect of all these molecules?
Histamine and thrombin–> up-regulation of adhesion molecules on the surface of endothelial cells
Very firm neutrophil adhesion to endothelial surface
What are chemicals in acute inflammation known as? What 5 things do these cause?
Endogenous chemical mediators
Vasodilation, emigration of neutrophils, chemotaxis, increased vascular permeability, itching and pain
Best known chemical mediator in acute inflammation? What does this cause? Why is it able to have an immediate effect? Release is stimulated by what 2 complement components and what else?
Histamine
Vascular dilatation and the immediate transient phase of increased vascular permeability
Stored in preformed granules and can be released instantly
C3a and C5a and lysosomal proteins from neutrophils
Other chemical mediators in acute inflammation other than histamine? 4 enzymatic cascade systems in plasma? These are all interrelated and produce various what?
Lysosomal compounds, eicosanoids- type of prostaglandin, 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin,) chemokine (chemotactic)
Complement, the kinins, coagulation factors, fibrinolytic system–> inflammatory mediators
In tissue necrosis, enzyme capable of activating what are released from dying cells?Formation of antigen-antibody complexes can activate complement via what pathway? Endotoxins of gram-negative bacteria activate complement via what pathway?
Complement
Classical
Alternative
What do tissue macrophages do in acute inflammation? 2 most important cytokine released? They endothelial cells, fibroblasts and epithelial cells to secrete what? This does what? What arrive at the site of inflammation and on leaving blood vessels transform into what?
Secrete numerous chemical mediators when stimulated by local infection/ injury
IL-1 and TNF-alpha
MCP-1= attracts neutrophil polymorphs
Blood monocytes—> macrophages= more metabolically active, motile and phagocytic
Macrophages appear when but do not predominate until when? Responsible for what? Both them and neutrophils may discharge their what into the extracellular fluid, which digests what?
Within a few hours, do not predominate until later stages when neutrophils have diminished in number and macrophage population has enlarged by local proliferation
Clear away tissue debris and damaged cells
Lysosomal enzymes into the extracellular fluid–> digests inflammatory exudate
In acute inflammation, lymphatic channels become what as they drain away the oedema fluid of the inflammatory exudate? This drainage tends to limit what? Antigens are carried where for recognition by lymphocytes?
Dilated
The extent of oedema in the tissues
Regional lymph nodes
What oxygen-dependent agents do neutrophil polymorphs contain? Oxygen-independent?
Hydrogen peroxide- reacts with myeloperoxidase in cytoplasmic granules of neutrophil polymorph in presence of halide such as Cl-
Lysozyme (muramidase and lactoferrin)
Release of lysosomal products from the neutrophil polymorph in acute inflammation does what 3 things? Some compounds released do what or what? Lifespan, removal?
Damages local tissues by proteolysis by enzymes such as elastase and collagenase
Activate coagulation factor XII
Attracts other leucocytes to the area
Increase vascular permeability and others are pyrogens= induce systemic fever by acting on hypothalamus
1-3 days, most die locally and some leave via lymphatics, some are actively removed by apoptosis
Special macroscopic appearances of acute inflammation?
Serous inflammation- lots of fluid release, suppurative inflammation- lots of pus, membranous inflammation, pseudomembranous inflammation, necrotising inflammation (gangrenous)
Systemic effects of inflammation?
Pyrexia (fever)- NPs and macrophages produce endogenous pyrogens which act on hypothalamus to set the thermoregulatory mechanisms at higher temperature
Malaise, anorexia, nausea, weight loss- negative nitrogen balance
Lymph node enlargement
Splenomegaly- malaria, infectious mononucleosis
Increased WBCs in blood
Anaemia- blood loss into inflammatory exudate or because of haemolysis
Amyloidosis- elevating SAA may cause amyloid protein to be deposited in various tissues–> secondary amyloidosis
What is chronic inflammation? What is primary chronic inflammation?
Subsequent and often prolonged tissue reactions to injury following initial response
Lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages predominate
Usually primary, but does occasionally follow acute inflammation
e.g. leprosy
Primary= when there is no initial phase of acute inflammation
Most common acute inflammation that progresses into chronic inflammation? E.g. of chronic abscess?
Suppurative type- drainage of pus delayed, abscess= thick walls from granulation and fibrous tissues, stagnating pus becomes organised by ingrowth of granulation tissue, to be replaced by a fibrous scar
In bone- osteomyelitis, difficult to eradicate
What materials favour chronic inflammation? E.g. of recurring cycles of acute inflammation resulting in chronic inflammation?
Keratin/ fragments of necrotic bone, inert and resistant to action of lysosomal enzymes
Chronic cholecystitis due to gallstones
Macroscopic appearances of chronic inflammation?
Chronic ulcer- chronic peptic ulcer of stomach with breach of mucosa
Chronic abscess cavity- osteomyelitis
Thickening of wall of hollow organ
Granulomatous inflammation- granuloma forms (collection of epithelioid histiocytes)
Fibrosis- thickening or scarring of connective tissue
Becomes most prominent when most of of chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate has subsided
Microscopic features of chronic inflammation?
Cellular infiltrate consists characteristically of lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages
Few eosinophil polymorphs, NPs are scarce
Some macrophages may form multinucleate giant cells
May be new fibrous tissues from granulation tissue
Evidence of continuing destruction of tissue at same time as tissue regeneration and repair
Tissue necrosis- especially in granulomatous conditions such as TB
Evidence of repair in chronic inflammation? Lymphocyte help?
Angiogenesis, fibroblasts proliferate, macrophages migrate, capillaries sprout, collagen synthesis
B form plasma/ memory cells and antibodies
T= cytokine production leading to other cell activation–> increased vascular permeability
Macrophages are what in blood and becomes what in tissues? Promote and inhibit inflammation through release of what? What is a granuloma?
Monocytes and becomes macrophages in tissues
Pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines
An aggregate of epithelioid histiocytes
Commonest cause of granuloma? What stain identifies TB? Colour?
TB
Ziehl-Neelsen stain= bright red result
Features of epithelioid histiocytes? Measurement of angiotensin converting enzyme can act as marker for what?
Large vesicular and eosinophilic cytoplasm, elongated, tend to be in clusters, little phagocytic activity, adapted to secretory function- one product= ACE
Systemic granulomatous disease such as sarcoidosis
Presence of what 2 things is indicative of a parasitic infection? When are histolytic giant cells formed?
Granulomas and eosinophils
When 2+ macrophages engulf the same pathogen simultaneously–> multinucleate (little phagocytic activity and no known function) or when particulate matter that is indigestible by macrophages accumulates (silica/ bacteria that have cell walls containing mycelia acids and waxes)
Langerhans giant cells have what arrangement of nuclei? Characteristically seen in what condition? Appearance of foreign body giant cells?
Horseshoe arrangement at one pole of the cell
TB
Large cells with nuclei randomly scattered throughout their cytoplasm- seen in relation to particulate foreign body material
Appearance of Touton giant cells? Seen when?
Have central ring of nuclei, peripheral to which there is lipid material
When macrophages attempt to ingest lipids and in xanthomas/ dermatofibromas of the skin
What is resolution in relation to chronic inflammation? Repair?
Where the damaging factor is removed, the tissue is undamaged and able to regenerate (liver.)
Where the damaging factor is removed but there is tissue damage thus the tissue cannot regenerate (alcohol stops the liver from regeneration and causes cirrhosis)
What does healing by 1st intention involve? Healing by 2nd intention?
Incision, no tissue loss, fibrinogen release, edges joined by fibrin (forms clot,) replaced by collagen, structure and function restored.
Loss of tissue, gap filled with granulomatous tissue, adhesion of edges, organisation and fibrosis formation (areas of fibrous tissue–> big scar)
2 types of abnormal wound healing? Features of both?
Inadequate and excessive
Inadequate= poor blood supply, poor nutrition, wound infection, immunosuppression, diabetes, old age
Hypertrophic scars, excessive collagen, stays within original wound site
Keloid scars- excessive granulation tissue that expands beyond wound edges (genetic association and certain ethnic groups i.e. Afro-Caribbean)
E.g. of regenerating tissues? Non-regenerating tissues?
Hepatocytes (liver,) pneumocytes (alveoli lining,) blood cells, gut and skin epithelium, osteocytes (bone)
Heart, brain (post MI and cerebral infarct,) spinal cord (post trauma)
Labile cells have good capacity do what? Typical cells of this group? Stable cell populations divide at what rate? Good examples?
To regenerate e.g. surface epithelial cells, constantly lost from surface and replaced from deeper layers
Very slow rate normally, still retain capacity to divide when necessary e.g. hepatocytes and renal tubular cells
Regeneration of permanent cells? Good examples? Cells lost through injury or normal ageing replaced stem cell pool in many what populations? Stem cells found where in epidermis? In intestinal mucosa? In liver? Separate pool of stem cells where? Are able to seed into other what?
No effective regeneration e.g. nerve cells and striated muscle cells
In many labile and stable cell populations
In basal layer immediately adjacent to basement membrane, in hair follicles and sebaceous glands
Near bottom of crypts
Between hepatocytes and bile ducts
In bone marrow- these haemopoietic stem cells able to seed into other organs and differentiate locally into appropriate tissue
What is complete restitution? E.g.? At first what happens? When confluent layer has been formed? What are important control mechanisms in normal cells?
Loss of part of labile cell population- can be completely restored
e.g. minor skin abrasion- epidermis lost over limited area, but at margins of lesion remain cells that can multiply to cover defect
At first= cells proliferate and spread out as thin sheet until defect is covered
Stimulus to proliferate is then switched off= contact inhibition and controls growth and movement
Epidermis is rebuilt from base up until indistinguishable from normal= healing
Contact inhibition, neoplasia= lost
What is organisation? What is formed in the early stages, often on a scaffold of what? Dead tissue removed by what? Granulation tissue contracts and gradually accumulates what to form scar, which then undergoes what? Common consequence of what disease? Organised area is what compared to normal?
Repair of specialised tissues by formation of fibrous scar
Granulation tissue- on scaffold of fibrin, by macrophages and neutrophil polymorphs
Collagen–> scar, undergoes remodelling
Pneumonia
Firmer, often shrunken or puckered
What is granulation tissue a combination of? How do myofibroblasts form?
Capillary loops and myofibroblasts
Capillary loops- capillary endothelial cells proliferate and grow into area to be repaired and grow into vascular channels, arranged as loops arching into damaged area
Fibroblasts acquires bundles of muscle filaments and attachments to adjacent cells
Why is wound contraction important? What issues might this cause?
Important for reducing volume of tissue for repair- may be reduced by 80%
If tissue damage is circumferential around lumen such as gut, may cause stenosis or obstruction due to stricture
Tissue distortion–> permanent shortening of muscle= contracture
Burns to skin can be followed by considerable contraction, with resulting cosmetic damage and often impaired mobility
Process of healing of skin wound depends on what? What deposited locally will bind two sides of a wound together? By how many days strength of repair sufficient enough to enable removal of suture? Only residual defect?
Depends on size of defect
Fibrin
10 days- failure to reconstruct the elastic network in the dermis
In some circumstances, hepatic regeneration comes from what cells rather than hepatocytes? When may cirrhosis occur? When can there be substantial regeneration of the functioning liver?
Liver progenitor cells
If imbalance between hepatocyte regeneration and failure to reconstruct the architecture
Following the partial surgical resection of the liver
What is a thrombosis? What is a clot? 3 things pre-disposing to thrombosis? Where cells travel in centre of arterial vessels and don’t touch the sides?
Solid mass of blood constituents formed within an intact vascular system during life
Blood coagulated outside of the vascular system or after death
Change in vessel wall, change in blood flow and change in constituents in blood
Laminar flow
2 types of platelet granules? Each contain what?
Alpha and dense
Alpha- several substances for process of platelet adhesion to damaged vessel walls i.e. fibrinogen, fibronectin and platelet growth factor
Dense- ADP cause platelets to aggregate
Platelets activated and contents of granules released when come into contacts with what? How do they change their shape?
Collagen- may be found in damaged vessel walls
Change shape, extend pseudopodia, form mass that covers vessel wall defect until endothelial cells have regenerated and repaired vessel permanently
First stage of thrombosis? Both of these reactions involve what? Once clotting cascade started, there is formation of what?
Platelet aggregation- platelets release chemicals when aggregate which cause other platelets to stick to them, starts off cascade of clotting proteins in blood
Positive feedback loops
Fibrin- makes mesh in which RBCs become entrapped
An atheromatous plaque will result in what 2 things? Process of arterial thrombosis?
Change in the vessel wall and a change in blood flow–> thrombus
Slightly raised fatty streak on intimal surface of any artery such as aorta of atheromatous plaque, protrude into lumen, cause turbulence in blood flow, loss of intimal cells, fibrin deposition, platelet clumping due to collagen exposed
Platelet derived growth factor is released from alpha granules, causes proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells
First layer= platelet layer, causes precipitation of fibrin meshwork on top, more turbulence etc.
What is propagation? Most venous thrombi begin where? Valves may be damaged by what? Greatest degree of turbulence where? When may thrombosis become a likely event?
Thrombi grow in direction of blood flow At valves Trauma, stasis or occlusion At upstream side of venous thrombus If BP drops during surgery or following MI then flow is slower, if elderly immobilised--> DVTs, relies on calf muscle contraction
Arterial and venous thrombi result in what?
Loss of pulse distal to thrombus, area becomes cold, pale and painful, tissue will die and gangrene results eventually
Tender area, general ischaemic pain as circulation worsens, area becomes reddened and swollen
Fate of thrombi?
May resolve as result of body dissolving it, may become organised into scar, intimal cells of vessel may proliferate and small sprouts of capillaries may grow into thrombus and later fuse–> larger vessels, fragments may break off to form emboli, affects some vital centre and causes death before body/ clinician can make effective response
What is an embolism? Solid mass most commonly what? Less common causes of embolus? Only way that venous emboli can arrive in arterial side of circulation?
A mass of material in the vascular system able to lodge in a vessel and block its lumen
Air, cholesterol crystals, tumour amniotic fluid, fat
If there is an arterial- venous communication such as perforated septum in heart- paradoxical embolus
Effects of pulmonary emboli?
Small- may occur unnoticed and be lysed within lung, may become organism and cause some permanent, though small, resp deficiency- may cause idiopathic pulmonary hypertension
Slightly larger- acute resp and cardiac issues resolve slowly, chest pain, breath shortness, risk of further emboli
Massive- sudden death, usually long from leg veins and are often impacted across bifurcation of one of major pulmonary arteries
Most thrombi that result in systemic embolism generally from where? In heart may form where? Another common cause of thrombosis within the heart?
From heart/ from atherosclerotic plaque
On areas of cardiac muscle that have died as result of MI since lost endothelial lining expose to collagen
AF- blood stagnates in atrial appendages, normal HR- may become fragmented and form emboli
What is ischaemia? Effects on tissues depends on what 2 things?
Reduction in blood flow to tissue or part of body caused by constriction/ blockage of blood vessels supplying it
Duration of ischaemic period
Metabolic demands of tissue- cardiac and cerebral neurons are most vulnerable
What is infarction? Usually caused by what? Most organs have what arterial supply? 3 organs with dual blood supply less susceptible?
Death (necrosis) of part of whole of organ that occurs when artery supplying it becomes obstructed
Usually macroscopic event from thrombosis of artery
End arterial supply- single artery supplying them
Liver, lung, brain
Many of tissue damage of ischaemic injury happens when? Why? What has been impaired? Appears to be trigger for what? What cells import their own intrinsic oxygen free radicals also?
When perfusion is re-established Much of damage= oxygen dependent Calcium transport out of cell Activation of oxygen-dependent free radical systems that begin clearing away of dead cells NPs and macrophages
What is gangrene? 2 types?
When whole areas of limb/ region of gut have arterial supply cut off and large area of mixed tissue die in bulk
Dry- tissue dies and becomes mummified and healing occurs above it, dead area drops off, sterile process e.g. toes of diabetes
Wet- bacterial infection supervenes as secondary complication, spreads proximally and patient dies from overwhelming sepsis
What is a watershed area?
At the boundary of adjacent arterial territories e.g. splenic flexure of colon between territories of superior and inferior mesenteric arteries, regions of cerebral hemispheres at interface between territories of major cerebral arteries, myocardium between sub-endocardial myocardium and that which is perfused by the coronary arteries