Value of autopsy in renal malformations: comparison of clinical diagnosis and post-mortem examination.
OBJECTIVE
This 6-year retrospective study reports 14 cases of renal malformations, observed in foetuses and newborns. The objective was to evaluate the usefulness of post-mortem examination in cases of renal malformations by a comparison of the post-mortem findings with clinical diagnosis.


METHODS
This study included laboratory tests, ultrasonography, karyotype and detailed pathological evaluation of the foetuses and newborns by external, macroscopic, microscopic and placental examination.


RESULTS
The results of post-mortem examination were of paramount importance: they disclosed renal malformations escaped on prenatal studies (42,86%), provided extensive additional informations (50%), or confirmed the diagnosis hypothesis (7,14%).


CONCLUSIONS
Thus, this study confirmed the need of pathological examination for foetuses and newborns, after medical abortion and neonatal death. The pathologist's contribution to the multidisciplinary management of prenatal or postnatal abnormalities is important in particular for further genetic counseling. (www.actabiomedica.it).
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Section of Pathology, Parma University, Italy. giovanna.giordano@unipr.it
G
G
Giordano
G
G
Fellegara
F
F
Brigati
D
D
Gramellini
C
C
Magnani
D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D005333:Fetus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000002:abnormalities*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000453:epidemiology; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D016104:Oligohydramnios; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult