NEET MDS Lessons
General Pathology
Liver cirrhosis
It is a chronic, progressive diffuse process characterized by
a. Hepatocellular necrosis
b. Replacement by fibrosis and inflammation
c. Hyperplasia of surviving liver cells forming regenerating nodules
d. Vascular derangement.
All these changes lead to loss of the normal liver architecture.
Pathology of cirrhosis
At first the liver is enlarged or of normal size. Late in the disease, it is reduced in size and weight.
Consistency- Firm.
Colour -May be yellow (fatty change), red (congestion), green (cholestaisis), or pale gray (recent nodules due to absence of pigment).
Morphologically According to the size of these nodules, cirrhosis can be classified
Micronodular (regular) cirrhosis. Small nodules 2-3 mm.in diameter.
Macronodular (irregular) cirrhosis, nodules up to one cm in diameter.
Mixed cirrhosis is the end stage of all types of cirrhosis
Microscopic picture
1 Regenerating nodulesn- Proliferated hepatocytes arranged in thick plates and separated by blood sinusoids. Central vein in abnormal sites (eccentric) - Hepatocytes may be small , large , or binucleated
2- Fibrosis- It replaces damaged hepatocytes. It develops at certain sites:-
a-perivenular b -perisinusoidal c -pericellular and d -in relation to portal tracts.
- It may be young, cellular and highly vascular or mature with diminished vasculsarity. It encloses groups of hepatocytes, lobules or regenerating nodules.
-As a result of hepatocyte injury and fibrosis, there’s loss of normal liver architecture including the lobular and acinar pattern as well as the liver cell plates
3- Bile ductular proliferation:- Occurs in the fibrous septa.Focal choestaisis with feathery degeneration of hepatocytes occur at the margins of regenerating nodules. It becomes diffuse terminally.
4- Inflammatory cells:- Lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells infiltrate the fibrous septa and regenerating nodules
Etiological classification of cirrhosis
Congenital Occurs at childhood
- congenital syphilis
Hereditary diseases:-
a. Primary idiopathic haemochromatosis b. Thalassemia c. Wilson’s disease d.α 1-antitrypsin deficien e. glycogen storage disease
Acquired
-Cryptogenic (10-50%).
-Alcoholic (30-70%)
-Post viral (15-20%)
- Biliary cirrhosis (16%) primary or secondary.
German measles (rubella)
- sometimes called "three day measles".
- incubation 14-21 days; infectious 7 days before the rash and 14 days after the onset of the rash.
- in adults, rubella present with fever, headache, and painful postauricular Lymphadenopathy 1 to 2 days prior to the onset of rash, while in children, the rash is usually the first sign.
- rash (vasculitis) consists of tiny red to pink macules (not raised) that begins on the head and spreads downwards and disappears over the ensuing 1-3 days; rash tends to become confluent.
- 1/3rd of young women develop arthritis due to immune-complexes.
- splenomegaly (50%)
IMMUNO PATHOLOGY
Abnormalities of immune reactions are of 3 main groups
- Hypersensitivity,
- Immuno deficiency,
- Auto immunity.
Hypersensitivity (ALLERGY)
This is an exaggerated or altered immune response resulting in adverse effects
They are classified into 4 main types.
I. Type I-(reaginic, anaphylactic). This is mediated by cytophylic Ig E antibodies, which get bound to mast cells. On re-exposure, the Ag-Ab reaction occurs on the mast cell surface releasing histamine.
Clinical situations
I. Systemic anaphylaxis, presenting with bronchospasm oedema hypertension, and even death.
2. Local (atopic) allergy.
- Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
- Asthma
- Urticaria.
- Food allergies.
2. Type II. (cytotoxic). Antibody combines with antigen present on-cell surface. The antigen may be naturally present on the surface or an extrinsic substance (e.g.drug) attached to cell surface.
The cell is then destroyed by complement mediated lysis (C89) or phagocytosis of the antibody coated cell.
Clinical situations
- Haemolytic anemia.
- Transfusion reaction
- Auto immune haemolytic anemia.
- Haemolysis due to some drugs like Alpha methyl dopa
Drug induced thrombocytopenia (especially sedormid).
Agranulocytosis due to sensitivity to some drugs.
Goodpasture’s syndrome-glomermerulonephritis due to anti basement membrane antibodies.
3. Type III. (Immune complex disease). Circulating immune complexes especially
small soluble complexes tend to deposit in tissues especially kidney, joints, heart and
arteries.
These then cause clumping of platelets with subsequent release of histamine. and
serotonin resulting in increased permeability. Also, complement activation occurs which
being chemotactic results in aggregation of polymorphs and necrotising vasculitis due to
release of lysosmal enzymes
Clinical situations
- Serum sickness.
- Immune complex glomerulonephritis.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Allergic alveolitis.
- Immune based vasculitis like
- Drug induced vasculitis.
- Henoch – Schonlein purpura
4. Type IV. (Cell mediated). The sensitized lymphocytes may cause damage by
cytotoxicity or by lymphokines and secondarily involving macrophages in the reaction.
Clinical situations
I. Caseation necrosis in tuberculosis.
2. Contact dermatitis to
- Metals.
- Rubber.
- Drugs (topical).
- Dinitrochlorbenzene (DNCB).
5. Type V. (stimulatory) This is classed by some workers separately and by other with
cytotoxic type (Type II) with a stimulatory instead of toxic effect
Clinical Situations :
LATS (long acting thyroid stimulator) results in thyrotoxicosis (Grave’s disease)
HERPES SIMPLEX
An infection with herpes simplex virus characterized by one or many clusters of small vesicles filled with clear fluid on slightly raised inflammatory bases.
The two types of herpes simplex virus (HSV) are HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 commonly causes herpes labialis, herpetic stomatitis, and keratitis; HSV-2 usually causes genital herpes, is transmitted primarily by direct (usually sexual) contact with lesions, and results in skin lesions
Primary infection of HSV-1 typically causes a gingivostomatitis, which is most common in infants and young children. Symptoms include irritability, anorexia, fever, gingival inflammation, and painful ulcers of the mouth.
Primary infection of HSV-2 typically occurs on the vulva and vagina or penis in young adults
Herpetic whitlow, a swollen, painful, and erythematous lesion of the distal phalanx, results from inoculation of HSV through a cutaneous break or abrasion and is most common in health care workers.
CONGESTION
Congestion or hyperaemia means an increase in the content of blood in an organ. It may be :
A. Active - due to increased arterial flow to the organ with dilatation of micro vessels as in
- Inflammation.
- Increased metabolic activity.
- Neurogenic blushing.
B. Passive - due to decreased venous drainage resulting in pooling of blood. There is always an associated element of oedema.
Autoimmune(acquired) Haemolytic anaemia
Auto antibodies are usually Ig g type (may be Ig M or Ig A). They may or may not bind complement and may be active in warm or cold temperature They may be complete (agggIutinating) or incomplete. Haemolysis s may be intravascular due to destruction of the antibody coated cells by RE system.
Causes:
a. Idiopathic
b. Secondary to
o Drugs - Methyldopa, Mefanamic acid
o Disease like
-> Infections especially viral.
-> Autoimmune disease especially SLE.
-> Lymphomas and chronic lymphatic leukaemia.
-> Tumours.
Diagnosis : is based on
• Evidences of haemolytic anaemia.
• Demonstration of antibodies
- On red cell surface by direct Coomb’s test
- In serum by indirect Coomb’s test.
Bronchiectasis
- Bronchiectasis is abnormal and irreversible dilatation of the bronchi and bronchioles (greater than 2 mm in diameter) secondary to inflammatory weakening of bronchial wall.
- Occur in childhood and early adult life
- Persistent cough with copious amount of foul smelling purulent sputum
Aetiopathogenesis
Bronchial wall destruction is due to:
- Endobronchial obstruction due to foreign body
- Infection due to local obstruction or impaired defence mechanism
Clinical conditions:
- Hereditary and congenital factors
- Obstruction
- Secondary complication
Hereditary and congenital factors:
- Congenital bronchiectasis due to developmental defects
- Cystic fibrosis causing defective secretion resulting in obstruction
- Hereditary immune defiency diseases
- Immotile cilia syndrome- immotile cilia of respiratory tract, sperms causing Kartagener’s syndrome (bronchiectasis, situs inversus and sinusitis) and male infertility
- Allergic bronchial asthma patients
Obstruction:
Localised variety in one part of bronchial system.
Obstruction can be due to
Foreign body
Endobronchial tumors
Hilar lymph nodes
Inflammatory scarring (TB)
Secondary complication:
Necrotizing pneumonia in Staph infection and TB
Morphologic changes
- Affects distal bronchi and bronchioles
- Lower lobes more frequently
- Lungs involved diffusely/segmentally
- Left lower lobe than right
- Pleura fibrotic & thickened adherent to chest wall
C/S lung: Honey-combed appearance
Microscopic examination:
Bronchiole-dilated
Bronchial epithelium-normal, ulcerated, squamous metaplasia
Bronchial wall-infiltration by ac & Ch inflammatory cells,
destruction of muscle, elastic tissue
Lung parenchyma-fibrosis, surrounding tissue pneumonia
Pleura-fibrotic and adherent