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→Autopsy Findings
This 29-year-old black female had a history of scleroderma involving the lung, kidney, heart, and skin. Her main clinical problems centered on her restrictive lung disease. She was able to live at home with supplemental oxygen but recently she had developed edema, chest pain, weakness, light-headedness, and a loss of appetite. The patient was admitted to the hospital with a working diagnosis of congestive heart failure brought on by her lung disease. Echocardiographic evaluation revealed a pericardial effusion that was tapped. Soon after this procedure her respiratory status degenerated and she required intubation. Despite aggressive supportive treatment for her cardiac and pulmonary problems, she could not be weaned from the ventilator. Two weeks after admission she became febrile and Gram positive cocci were isolated from sputum culture. She was placed on antibiotics but her condition deteriorated and she developed bradycardia followed by electromechanical dissociation (EMD).
== Images ==
File:IPLab6Scleroderma5.jpg|This is a gross photograph of the heart from this case. There is thickening of the left ventricular wall and some thickening of the right ventricle as well.
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== Virtual Microscopy ==
=== Lung: Scleroderma ===
<peir-vm>IPLab6Scleroderma</peir-vm>
=== Normal Lung ===
<peir-vm>UAB-Histology-00107</peir-vm>
=== Skin: Scleroderma ===
<peir-vm>IPLab6Scleroderma_Skin</peir-vm>
=== Normal Skin ===
<peir-vm>UAB-Histology-00004</peir-vm>
== Study Questions ==
* [http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1064663-overview eMedicine Medical Library: CREST Syndrome]
* [http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/musculoskeletal_and_connective_tissue_disorders/autoimmune_rheumatic_disorders/systemic_sclerosis.html Merck Manual: Systemic Sclerosis]
=== Images ===