Pattern of mortality and pathomorphology patterns in lungs according to the materials of forensic medical examination of COVID-19 deceased (March-December 2020)

Abstract

The objective was to study the pattern of mortality and pathomorphological changes in lungs according to the forensic medical investigation of the corpses of the persons who died at the age of 37 to 60 years and older from COVID-19 outside healthcare facilities with no symptoms according to the catamnesis data. Eighty-nine autopsy samples taken from patients with COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the Thanatology Department of the Republican Center of Forensic Medicine for March-December 2020 were analyzed. Pathomorphological changes in the lungs corresponded to different phases of diffuse alveolar injury (DAI) development. During the exudative phase, edema, sloughing of the alveolar epithelium, presence of hyaline membranes, and thrombohemorrhagic events were predominant. In the proliferative phase, fibrin and fibrin-like deposits in alveoli, interalveolar septa thickening, excessive growth of conjunctive tissue in the interalveolar septa, pronounced fatty liver dystrophy, severe myocardium edema were observed.