Rheumatic Fever: ASCHOFF BODY
Aschoff bodies are granulomatous structures consisting of fibrinoid change, lymphocytic infiltration, and characteristically abnormal macrophages surrounding necrotic centres. Some of these macrophages may fuse to form multinucleated giant cells.
In this picture a well-circumscribed lesion is demonstrated in the interstitium of the myocardium. The area of central necrosis is surrounded by a ring of plump histiocytes called Anitschkow or “caterpillar cells”.
(via fyeahmedlab)
Calcium oxalate crystals in the kidney from ethylene glycol ingestion (anti-freeze)
They are fan shaped and can be polarized. Typically found in the tubules or interstitium of the kidney. Sometimes the leptomeninges of the brain.
See? Sometimes forensics can be pretty.
Krokodil “crocodile” is an old morphine derivative formerly known as desomorphine that is resurfacing in Russia. It was discovered in 1932 and it was noted to have some interesting pharmacologic properties: 8-10x more potent than morphine, less respiratory depression, less nausea, fast onset and short half life. Because of the short half life (4 hours) and increased potency, this made the drug more addictive than morphine, thus it was abandoned for medical use.
The synthesis of desomorphine is relatively easily and only the street chemist only needs a few ingredients that are easily obtainable.
However, the above happens - necrosis of the surrounding tissues where the body literarily rots. For reasons not yet clear. Is it the chemicals the krokodil is cut with? Is it the desomorphine itself? One thing is clear — krokodil addicts do not live longs lives — 2 years at most.
Bizarrely fascinating. Operating Room with class. University Hospital. Location: U.S.; Iowa; Johnson Co.; Iowa City.
No pressure…
(via paraphyletic)
Horseshoe kidney
This occurs in 1 in 500 people. Most people don’t even know they have it. It is the most common congenital kidney fusion anomaly.
I stopped keeping count, but I participated in over 200 autopsies and in addition I observed probably about 50. And I just saw my first horseshoe kidney. Hurrah. Normal finding has now been found.
Medical photo-sharing app hard to stomach as doctors upload strange and gruesome images
The mobile-phone application called Figure1 is definitely not for the faint of heart.
As the new, Canadian-designed program opens, users are met with a succession of sometimes-gruesome photographs depicting painful, fatal and downright strange things that can happen to the human body.
There are surgically removed tumours, amputated feet, deeply lacerated arms and chests in the process of being sliced open by surgeons. (Figure1)
(via fuckyeahforensics)
The right tool for the job. Very important.
Above are examples of standard autopsy rib cutters. You grip them with one hand. And you are supposed to cut bone with one hand. I can’t do it. Not enough torque and most people’s grips aren’t that strong.
Below is a standard branch cutter from Lowes or Home Depot. Large handles = more torque.
Yes, some autopsy tools can be found at your typical hardware store. It can be hard to find just the right tool — not too long, not too heavy, made extra sturdy but not “heavy duty”.
IBB Blood Transfusion Packs is a 2012 red dot award: design concept winner.
With the IBB Blood Transfusion Packs there will be no room for error while administering blood to those who need it. The packaging makes it almost impossible for you to make a mistake, because the letters A, B, or O appear prominently when the bag is filled with blood. Every part of the bags except the letters is translucent and this is what makes it distinctive.
The bags already have huge white labels on them prominently displaying blood type. More importantly, the large majority of blood type errors do not come from the blood bank which dispensed it. The errors typically occur at bedside. Which is why there is a 2 nurse check before they can hang the bag of blood. If the blood sample was sent to the lab labeled with the wrong patient, it would not matter how big the letters were.
With humans there is always error. You can never eliminate it.
The bags are pretty, though.
