Abstract

Background:

In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed macroscopic post-mortem examinations of surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients who died from suspected sepsis or septic shock.

Methods:

All 125 Patients who were admitted in the ICU and subsequently died and cause of death labelled as sepsis/septic shock. Clinical data and post-mortem findings were documented in all patients.

Results:

The study included post-mortem results which included gross, histopathology and microbiology. The main causes of death as reported in the patient history were sepsis with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (70%) and cardiorespiratory failure (30%). Pathologies were detected in the lungs in 18 cases, kidneys/urinary tract 05 cases, gastrointestinal tract 02 cases, cardiovascular system 09 cases, liver 20 cases, spleen 01 case, central nervous system 30 cases, and pancreas 08 cases and in 32 cases multiple organ pathology was seen like lung, brain, liver. The autopsy and microbiological examination revealed confirmatory growth and septic focus in 40 (32%) cases only. The microbiological isolates were obtained from CSF, heart blood, ascetic fluid, pleural and pericardial fluid and tracheal aspirates. Most common isolate was Klebsiella in 25 cases.