Retrograde venous cerebral air embolism from disconnected central venous catheter: an experimental model

There are few reported cases of death attributed to retrograde cerebral air embolism from central venous catheter. The pathophysiological mechanism and the necessary conditions are not fully understood, also because of missing experimental data. We performed experimental simulation while working on a possible case of retrograde cerebral air embolism. A hermetic system consisting of two containers connected to each other and to an electric pump by means of rubber hoses was built. In this system, a fluid (water and blood) could continuously flow under conditions similar to those of the common jugular vein. The part of the system representing the jugular vein could be freely positioned at angles between 0 and 90°. A central venous catheter was inserted into this part. After disconnection, the behavior of the air bubbles entering the hose through the tip of the catheter was evaluated at different positions. At angles between 0 and 45°, the air bubbles followed the fluid flow. At angles >45°, the air bubbles showed the tendency to flow upstream; this phenomenon was more evident the more vertically the hose was located. We were able to demonstrate that a retrograde air embolism can be caused by a disconnected catheter and is even more likely if the neck is in a vertical position.     

窦房结中央动脉狭窄与心源性猝死

近年来国内外学者相继报道由单纯窦房结中央动脉狭窄引起的猝死。本文就窦房结中央动脉的解剖、组织学特点、病变特点进行综述,探讨窦房结动脉狭窄引起猝死的机制,以期为相关法医病理学死因鉴定提供理论基础。     

A Minimally Invasive Technique for the Detection and Analysis of Pulmonary Fat Embolism: A Feasibility Study*

We investigated the feasibility of postmortem percutaneous needle biopsy (PNB) for obtaining pulmonary samples adequate for the study of pulmonary fat embolism (PFE). Samples of both lungs were obtained from 26 cadavers via two different methods: (i) PNB and (ii) the double-edged knife technique, the gold standard at our institute. After water storage and Sudan III staining, six forensic pathologists independently examined all samples for the presence and severity of PFE. The results were compared and analyzed in each case regarding the vitality of the PFE and its relationship to the cause of death. The results showed that PFE was almost identically diagnosed and graded on the samples obtained via both methods. The discrepancies between the two techniques did not affect the diagnoses of vitality or cause of death related to PFE. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the PNB sampling method for the diagnosis and interpretation of PFE in the postmortem setting.     

VEGF免疫组化染色在冠心病猝死诊断中的应用

运用免疫组化SABC法和图像分析与统计学处理系统 ,对16例冠心病猝死和15例非冠心病猝死对照组尸检心脏标本心肌局部血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)的表达进行了研究。结果 :16例冠心病猝心脏标本心肌梗死局部心肌均有VEGF的阳性表达 ,尤以心肌梗死灶边缘为甚 ,阳性表达率为100 %。15例非冠心病猝死对照组心脏标本仅有2例心肌局部散在有VEGF弱阳性表达 ,其余为阴性。将免疫组化染色结果进行图像定量分析与统计学处理 ,冠心病猝死组阳性指数为13.68±2.73 ,对照组为2.05±0.84 ,两组结果有极显著性差异 (P<0.01)。本研究结果提示 ,VEGF免疫组化染色可望为冠心病猝死的死后诊断提供一个比较客观的病理形态学依据     

肺动脉栓塞猝死的法医病理学检验

对５０例肺动脉栓塞猝死案例分析,结果显示：引起肺动脉栓塞猝死的主要原因为创伤（４２％）,心脏疾病（３２％）,外科手术（２０％）等。血栓栓子多来源于下肢静脉（８０％）;其次为心腔内附壁血栓（２０％）。发生猝死高峰季节为１０～１２月;低峰季节为４～６月。猝死场所多见于医院内。最后提出了该病的法医学鉴定注意事项     

养肝益水颗粒对原发性高血压早期肾损害患者肾叶间动脉血流的影响

目的:观察养肝益水颗粒对原发性高血压早期肾损害患者肾叶间动脉及肾主动脉峰值流速(Vmax)、阻力指数(RI)的影响。方法:70例辨证为肝肾阴虚或兼血瘀型原发性高血压早期肾损害患者,随机分为治疗组和对照组各35例,治疗组给予养肝益水颗粒加西药常规治疗,对照组仅予西药常规治疗,观察治疗前后肾叶间动脉及肾主动脉Vmax、RI等指标的变化。结果:治疗后治疗组肾叶间动脉血流Vmax上升程度、RI下降程度与对照组相比,差异有显著性(P<0.05,P<0.01);治疗后肾主动脉Vmax均较治疗前有所升高,RI有所下降,但差异无显著性(P>0.05)。结论:养肝益水颗粒对原发性高血压早期肾损害患者肾叶间动脉血流有积极影响。     

Sudden Cardiac Death in a Young Man with Migraine-associated Arrhythmia

A 31-year-old man with migraine-induced syncope and bradycardia with subsequent pacemaker implantation died unexpectedly. Clinically unsuspected cardiac anomalies were found at autopsy including myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending artery and shelf-like coronary artery ostia. Nortriptyline was identified by toxicologic analysis. A review of the autopsy findings, the historical information, and the effects of the possible arrhythmogenic circumstances is undertaken and the potential contributions to the death are discussed. Cardiac arrhythmias have been documented during migraines. Coronary artery bridging has been known to lead to ischemia and infarction, ventricular tachycardia, and sudden death; however, these are very rare sequelae. Congenital coronary artery anomalies have been linked to sudden cardiac death, but only rarely cause death in people younger than 31 years. Migraines and the autopsy findings described have been associated with cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. Altogether, they led to the unexpected death of this young man.     

乙醇对家兔脑基底动脉零应力状态影响关系的研究

目的探讨乙醇对家免脑基底动脉零应力状态的影响。方法通过酒精灌胃的方法建立家兔血液乙醇浓度梯度的动物模型,测定各组家兔局部脑微区的血流灌注量;并通过测量血管张开角的方法测定各组家兔脑基底动脉的零压力状态。结果家兔灌酒后局部脑微区血流量值明显增大,至30min后,各组家兔脑血流量基本恒定;血液乙醇浓度持续增高,灌胃后1.5~2h,血液乙醇浓度达到峰值。灌酒后局部脑微区血流量值和血液乙醇浓度与灌酒量存在正相关关系。各组家兔酒精灌2h后基底动脉张开角均明显降低,各组之间差异存在统计学意义(P<0.05),且随灌胃量的增大基底动脉张开角降低越大。结论家兔基底动脉零应力状态随血液酒精浓度的增加而降低。     

过敏性和冠心病猝死者心肌组织中肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶、脑利钠肽的表达

目的探讨肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶、脑利钠肽(brain natriuretic peptide,BNP)在过敏性猝死和冠心病猝死鉴别诊断中的意义。方法选取山西医科大学法医病理学教研室2010—2015年尸检案例心肌标本共30例,分为颅脑损伤致死组、过敏性猝死组、冠心病猝死组,每组各10例。采用免疫荧光染色和Western印迹法分析各组心肌组织肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶和BNP的表达。结果过敏性猝死组、冠心病猝死组心肌组织内肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶免疫荧光染色均出现阳性染色;三组间两两比较,表达差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05)。冠心病猝死组心肌组织内BNP的表达量高于过敏性猝死组、颅脑损伤致死组(P0.05),过敏性猝死组与颅脑损伤致死组之间差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论联合检测心肌组织内肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶、BNP有望为过敏性猝死和冠心病猝死的法医学鉴别诊断提供帮助。     

Pulmonary Cement Embolism After Kyphoplasty

Pulmonary polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement embolism after kyphoplasty (KP) surgery is a quite frequent event as well as the pulmonary embolization of central venous catheter fragment. This report shows the case of a subject who, after KP, developed pulmonary embolism and who underwent thoracic surgery. After hospital discharge, the subject advanced a claim for damages toward the hospital where he was operated, complaining sensation of tenderness at the chest surgical scar and esthetic damage. To understand the nature of the embolism (either central venous catheter fragment or cement), chemical investigations were then ordered. Spectrometry identified the PMMA cement used for KP. When doubts rise about the origin of the embolized material, chemical investigations may reveal important data not only for clinical but also for forensic purposes.