Pediatric and Fetal Autopsies

Pediatric autopsies are the most useful investigations to establish the circumstances and causes of death and to exclude child abuse. Photographic collection of autopsy is strongly recommended in all cases, to document external and internal abnormalities. All evisceration techniques allow an adequate visualization of malformations, but the Letulle method seems to be the most suitable one in pediatric autopsies. The examination of fetal annexes is an essential part of the autopsy in cases of fetal or perinatal death. As a minimum requirement for pediatric autopsies, histological sections that should be taken are – at least – one sample of each pulmonary lobe, multiple samples of the heart, skin, subcutaneous tissue, liver, kidney, thymus, brain, and diaphragm. Representative sections of placenta that include both decidual and fetal surfaces, and sections of cord and membrane roll are submitted for histological examination, too.