Pathologic Findings in a Case of Cardiac Transplantation

Abstract

In the transplanted heart there was a plasma cell infiltrate, not present on the recipient side. No significant myocardial necrosis or vascular damage was noted except in the extensive fungus-infected areas. Fungus and thrombus filled the lateral descending branch of the right coronary artery. There was fungus in three brain lesions and in the lung. Alveolar hemorrhage, pulmonary edema, and bronchopneumonia were present. Other severe conditions included abdominal and gastrointestinal hemorrhage, absence of wound healing at all incisions, centrilobular liver necrosis with regeneration, extrahepatic biliary obstruction by blood clot, tubular necrosis of kidneys with regeneration, renal infarcts related to mural thrombi in the resected heart, and acute pancreatitis. Lymph nodes were depleted of lymphocytes. Prostatic hyperplasia and invasion of jejunal and colonic wall by Trichomonas hominis were incidental findings.