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Objective:In our study, we aimed to determine the accompanying cardiac pathologies and accompanying findings in other organs in the cases of giant cell myocarditis.Methods:The histopathology reports of the autopsied cases between 2011 and 2020 were reviewed. Cases diagnosed with myocarditis were evaluated retrospectively according to their histopathological pattern. According to the histopathological pattern, it was divided into subgroups as neutrophilic, lymphocytic, lymphohistiocytic, eosinophilic, myocarditis accompanied by granulomas, and giant cell myocarditis. Age and gender distribution, death patterns, autopsy findings, concomitant cardiac pathologies, and histopathological findings in other organs of the cases diagnosed with giant cell myocarditis were evaluated retrospectively.Results:Between 2011 and 2020, 558 of 49,612 autopsies performed in Morgue Department of the Council of Forensic Medicine were diagnosed as myocarditis in the histopathological examination. 1.02% (n=6) were giant cell myocarditis. Three of the cases with giant cell myocarditis were male and three were female. Histopathological findings were similar in all cases diagnosed with giant cell myocarditis. The mean age was found to be 55.66 (31-80). Heart weight ranged from 433-740 gram. Mononuclear cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes and, eosinophils accompanying giant cells were seen in the inflammatory infiltrate with necrosis. On macroscopic examination, variegated discoloration and scarring on the ventricular wall was the most common finding. Giant cell myocarditis resulted was the cause of death in four cases. Lobular pneumonia was observed in the lungs in two cases. One case had acalculous cholecystitis.Conclusion:Autopsy and histopathological diagnosis in sudden and unexpected deaths gain importance to diagnose giant cell myocarditis.

Objective:It is aimed to reveal the demographic characteristics of patients who died due to non-traumatic aortic dissection, the findings that will increase the risk of aneurysm and dissection, and the complications that develop after dissection, in the light of histopathological findings.Methods:One hundred thirty-eight cases diagnosed with non-traumatic aortic dissection, whose autopsies were performed in Council of Forensic Medicine Morgue Department between 2014 and 2018, were retrospectively analyzed. Age and gender distribution, body mass index, distribution of dissection types, complications that may develop after dissection in organs, and histopathological changes in the aortic wall were evaluated.Results:Cardiac tamponade was detected in 67.4% (n=93) of the cases, tamponade and hemothorax in 15.9% (n=22) and hemothorax in 11.6% (n=16). 5.1% (n=7) had a bicuspid aortic valve. 28.2% (n=39) had atherosclerosis, 21.7% (n=30) had elastic degeneration, and 10.8% (n=15) had cystic medial necrosis. In 55.8% (n=77), pathological changes in the vessel wall were not reported. There was widespread intraalveolar bleeding in 34.8% (n=48) and focal intraalveolar hemorrhage in 6.5% (n=9). When cardiac findings were examined, myocardial infarction was observed in 2.2% (n=3).Conclusion:In cases of aortic dissection, a detailed macroscopic and microscopic examination should be performed together with the clinical history. Histopathological examination of the dissected area is important in demonstrating the underlying factors. Histopathological findings in the organs may be useful in predicting the complications of the disease. Autopsy has a critical importance not only in recognizing and understanding the disease, but also in determining the treatment methods to be applied for the disease.

Sarcina ventriculi is a gram-positive anaerobic coccus with characteristic tetrad morphology. Sarcina ventriculiis identified by light microscopy with features of basophilic staining, cuboidal shape, tetrad morphology, and refractile nature. There have been very few case reports of Sarcina ventriculi reported in the literature. We present a case of a 53-year-old male, with gastric ulcer perforation where peritonitis was incidentally found to harbor Sarcina ventriculi in postmortem histopathological examination. Most of the cases exhibit abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and delayed gastric emptying. It has also fatal life-threatening complications, such as gastric perforation and emphysematous gastritis. The histopathological examination has a key role for identification of the bacteria. The pathologist must always keep it in mind these bacteria as a cause of gastric ulcer perforation in the differential diagnosis. We want to present a case of a 53-year-old male gastric ulcer perforation who was found dead in his bed.