Study of spectrum of histopathological changes in the lung in autopsy cases

Today burden of lung disease is growing fast throughout the world in which a large number of the population suffers from preventable pulmonary disease. Autopsy is an important tool to differentiate between natural and unnatural death. In most of the cases disease is identified during nature of its course either clinically or by radiological findings but in certain cases, it remains silent and is identified during autopsy followed by its histopathological examination. The Aim of the study is to find out occurrence, frequencies and pattern of various lung disease and to confirm by histopathological examination in medico-legal cases. The Present study was conducted in Department of Forensic Medicine at B.J. Medical College Ahmedabad. Retrospective studying was done and total 98 cases were studied. Male population was mainly affected as compared to female. Lung pathology is most commonly seen in the 3rd decade of life in present study. The Most common finding was congestion, followed by pulmonary edema and pneumonitis. Other findings include pulmonary tuberculosis in 10 cases, presence of heart failure cell in 9 cases, Emboli & carcinoma was seen in 2 cases, 1 case of asthma and Bronchiolitis, 5 cases were autolyzed & hence tissue processing was not possible.