All issues > Volume 9(4); 1966

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1966;9(4):219-225. Published online July 31, 1966.

Studies on the Cause of Death in Orphan Infants and Children

Mahn Kyoo Yang¹, Koo Hyun Chung², Chang Yee Hong³, On Za Kim⁴

¹Dept, of Pediatrics, Seoul City Children's Hospital.
²Dept, of Pediatrics, Seoul City Children’s TB Hospital.
³Dept, of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital.
⁴Dept, of Pathology, Seoul National University Medical School

Abstract

The spectrun of diseases and the causes of death in orphan infants are different from those in ordinary infants. Many of them have been severly malnourished already before coining to the orphanage. They are under deficient tender and care in crowded condition. It is important for a pediatrician working in orphange hospital to know the main causes of death in orphan infants. One hundred and forty eight cases of infants and children under five years of age who were :admitted and expired in two orphanage hospitals in Seoul area were autopsied and were studied on the pathological findings, especially in the lungs. 1.The most common pathological finding in the lung was bronchopneumonia (50.6%). 2.Interstitial or viral pneumonia was seen in 10.8% o£ the cases. 3.Lobar pneumonia was seen only in 2 cases (1.3%). 4.Lung abscess was found in 14 cases (9.4%) usually combined with bronchopneumonia. Approximately one fifth cases of bronchopneumonia were complicated with lung abscesses. The size of lung abscess variable from multiple small abscesses to a solitary large cavity. 5.Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was found in 9 cases (6.1%). All of them were under 1 year of age and six of them were under 6 months of age. In 2 cases giant cell pneumonia was combined. 6.Aspiration syndrome, including aspiration pneumonia, meconium pneumonia, and aspiration of meconium and amniotic fluid without inflammatory reaction were seen in 16 cases. 7.Tuberculosis of the hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes, lung parenchyma and miliary tuberculosis was seen in 7 cases (4.7%). 3. Two cases of cytomegalic inclusion disease and five cases (3.4%) of giant cell pneumonia were seen. Two cases of gaint cell pneumonia was combined with pneumocystis Carinii pneumonia 9.Serofibrinous pleuritis, most of them associated with bronchopneumonia was found in 25 cases (16.9%). Emphyema was found in 7 cases (4.7%), all of them below one year of age. 10.Atelectasis was seen in 8 cases (5.4%). 11. Lipoid pneumonia was found in 4 cases(2.7%). 12. Pulmonary edema or congestion was seen in 23.0%, pulmonary embolism, infarction, and/or hemarrhage in 4.1%.

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