Postmortem demonstration of the source of pulmonary thromboembolism: the importance of the autopsy.

Periprostatic or paravaginal venous thromboses are rarely considered clinically as sites of clot origin in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism. The majority of emboli have been demonstrated to originate in the veins of the legs. This report raises awareness of pelvic vein thrombosis as a potential source of pulmonary embolism that is rarely considered or detected clinically, and which usually requires postmortem examination for recognition.

Significance of periductal lymphatic and blood vascular densities in intraductal carcinoma of the breast.

We investigated the significance of periductal lymphatic and blood vascular densities in intraductal carcinomas (IDC) of the breast. Thirty five cases of pure IDC treated by partial or total mastectomy were reviewed. Seven cases with normal breast tissue and 48 cases of invasive breast carcinoma were included as controls.

Prognostic significance of intratumoral and peritumoral lymphatic density and blood vessel density in invasive breast carcinomas.

We studied tumor lymphatic and vascular densities and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) as prognostic markers in 48 cases of invasive breast cancer treated with partial or total mastectomy and lymph node dissection. All cases were immunostained with D2-40 and CD31. Positively stained microvessels were counted in densely vascular/lymphatic foci (hot spots) at x400.

Amebiasis presenting as acute appendicitis.

Amebiasis presenting as acute appendicitis is extremely rare. The case of a 38-year-old Hispanic man who presented to the hospital with symptoms and signs suggestive of acute appendicitis is reported. He underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and the pathologic examination of the appendix revealed multiple trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica.

Para-arytenoid cartilage pseudodiverticulum formation as a sequela of endotracheal intubation.

Context: Laryngotracheal injury secondary to endotracheal intubation results from ischemic necrosis, which develops within hours of intubation, with injury severity increasing with duration of intubation. Postextubation and postmortem observations demonstrate that laryngotracheal injury still occurs in a large number of intubated patients.

Objective: To demonstrate laryngeal injury, specifically pseudodiverticulum formation, as a result of intubation.

Black pigmentation of atherosclerotic plaques associated with chronic minocycline therapy.

Minocycline is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent used chronically in many clinical settings. Pigmentation is a well-recognized side effect of minocycline therapy. It has been reported in numerous sites, especially the skin, bones, and thyroid gland.

Colouterine fistula secondary to endometriosis with associated chorioamnionitis.

Background: Intestinal endometriosis may be complicated by bowel obstruction, colonic rupture, sepsis, and rarely, malignant transformation. Fistula formation is extremely rare.

Case: A 26-year-old woman presented at 16 weeks of gestation with an acute abdomen suggestive of ruptured appendicitis.

Muscarinic M3 acetylcholine receptor immunostaining in paraffin-embedded normal and neoplastic prostatic gland tissue.

Recent in vitro studies suggest that muscarinic receptors are important indicators of prostatic epithelial differentiation. Using choline in the mapping of prostatic lesions, radiographic studies have been interpreted as showing malignant transformation when high levels of receptors are found, but to our knowledge no correlation with the grade of prostatic cancer has been reported. To demonstrate the relationship of muscarinic receptors to differentiation, we immunostained normal and neoplastic prostatic tissue with antibodies that recognize receptors of acetylcholine, dividing the neoplastic tissue into two groups according to grade of differentiation.

Phlegmonous gastritis associated with Kaposi sarcoma: a case report and review of the literature.

We report a case of phlegmonous gastritis associated with Kaposi sarcoma in a 37-year-old, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive man who presented with an acute abdomen. Computed tomographic scan revealed free fluid in the abdominal cavity and a thickened gastric wall. A partial gastrectomy was performed.

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma associated with nonimmune fetal hydrops.

We describe the case of a 31-week fetus who died in utero with an invasive retroperitoneal kaposiform hemangioendothelioma. This rare vascular neoplasm usually presents as a localized violaceous skin lesion in infants and behaves in a benign fashion; however, kaposiform hemangioendothelioma may present as an invasive neoplasm of the chest or abdominal cavity, where it can lead to the Kasabach-Merritt syndrome, which consists of thrombocytopenia, consumptive coagulopathy, and microangiopathic anemia in association with a vascular anomaly. The case we describe is unique in that the tumor presented in utero and led to intrauterine nonimmune fetal hydrops.