Page 144 - Textbook of Pathology, 6th Edition

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SECTION I

Figure 5.29 Infarct kidney. The wedge-shaped infarct is slightly Figure 5.30 Renal infarct. Renal tubules and glomeruli show typical
depressed on the surface. The apex lies internally and wide base is on coagulative necrosis i.e. intact outlines of necrosed cells. There is acute
the surface. The central area is pale while the margin is haemorrhagic. inflammatory infiltrate at the periphery of the infarct.

INFARCT SPLEEN. Spleen is one of the common sites for their base at the periphery and apex pointing towards
infarction. Splenic infarction results from occlusion of the hilum (Fig. 5.31).
splenic artery or its branches. Occlusion is caused most Microscopically, the features are similar to those found
commonly by thromboemboli arising in the heart (e.g. in in anaemic infarcts in kidney. Coagulative necrosis and
mural thrombi in the left atrium, vegetative endocarditis, inflammatory reaction are seen. Later, the necrotic tissue
myocardial infarction), and less frequently by obstruction of is replaced by shrunken fibrous scar (Fig. 5.32).
General Pathology and Basic Techniques
microcirculation (e.g. in myeloproliferative diseases, sickle
cell anaemia, arteritis, Hodgkin’s disease, bacterial INFARCT LIVER. Just as in lungs, infarcts in the liver are
infections). uncommon due to dual blood supply—from portal vein and
from hepatic artery. Obstruction of the portal vein is usually
Grossly, splenic infarcts are often multiple. They are
characteristically pale or anaemic and wedge-shaped with secondary to other diseases such as hepatic cirrhosis,
intravenous invasion of primary carcinoma of the liver,

Figure 5.32 Pale infarct spleen. The affected area shows outlines
of cells only due to coagulative necrosis while the margin of infracted
Figure 5.31 Pale infarct spleen. A wedge-shaped shrunken area of area shows haemorrhage.
pale colour is seen with base resting under the capsule, while the margin
is congested.