Histopathological study of pancreatic ischemic lesions induced by cholesterol emboli: fresh and subsequent features of pancreatic ischemia.
To elucidate the histopathological features of pancreatic ischemia, we examined postmortem pancreases in which cholesterol emboli were present. Cholesterol emboli were detected in 17 pancreases (6 of 36 cases of aortic aneurysm and 11 of 223 control cases). Two of the 17 pancreases had well-demarcated patchy lesions composed of degenerating acinar cells showing deeply eosinophilic cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei, indicating fresh ischemia. In the marginal zone of the larger lesions and in the small lesions, the intralobular ductules had avoided the ischemic changes. Five of the 17 pancreases had patchy fibrotic foci containing small ductules with slightly retraction features. These ductules are considered to be the remnant intralobular ductules that have avoided the previous ischemic damage. We conclude that these patchy fibrotic foci are the healed ischemic lesions. The current findings suggest that the healed ischemic lesions can be differentiated from common pancreatic fibrosis. The existence of remnant intralobular ductules and the patchy retraction features may be useful histological markers for the determination of healed ischemic lesions.
Matsukuma
S
S
Department of Research and Laboratory, Japan Self Defense Forces Central Hospital, Tokyo.
Suda
K
K
Abe
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000473:pathology; D001344:Autopsy; D017700:Embolism, Cholesterol / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*