Histopathological Examination of Lung Necropsy of 11 Patients Who Died Due to COVID-19: A Case Series

Covid-19 in known to present with acute respiratory distress syndrome pathological manifestations. Studies have shown that patients with Covid-19 can develope diffuse alveolar damage, acute bronchopneumonia, necrotic bronchiolitis, and viral pneumonia.

In this study, we investigate 11 cases. Needle necropsies of 11 patients, hospitalized at Tohid and Kowsar hospitals of Kurdistan University of medical Sciences, with a positive antemortem SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) real time PCR test, were fixated within 3 hours after death in the negative-pressure isolation morgue. The participants included 6 men (54%) and 5 women (46%) with mean age of 73.82 ± 10.58 (52–86) years old. The average hospitalization was 14.27 ± 15.72 days. The results showed an interstitial lymphocytic pneumonitis in most of the cases, with severities ranging from mild to moderate and severe in some cases. In 7 cases, Anthracosis and in one case, anthracosis with fibrosis was evident. Hyaline membrane was reported in two patients. In one case, a severe interstitial lymphocytic pneumonia with intra-alveolar exudate with organization, lithiasis, bronchiolitis pattern (BOOP) along with intra-alveolar hemorrhage and mild fibrosis was seen.

As a result, it is suggested to keep an eye on these pathologies in managing severe case of COVID-19 infection.