File:Mall Meyer1921 fig11.jpg

Fig. 11. Almost total lysis or gossamer form

No. 606. X69.

It was especially interesting that this group also contained specimens illustrating the process of intrauterine destruction and absorption of early conceptuses. In one specimen (No. 606) measuring 18 by 13 by 6 mm., all the tissues, even including the last or smallest remnant of the nuclei, had been destroyed completely. Not a single cell contour was preserved; not even by coagulum, as is frequently the case in non-degenerate deciduse. Yet in spite of these things, the form and relative proportions of the entire vesicle, with its surrounding villi, were preserved so well that in describing the gross specimen, Mall noted: "In appearance the specimen is normal," although under later microscopical examination he found it "difficult to make out any structure whatsoever. In fact, even the nuclei of the chorionic membrane have disappeared entirely, leaving only a fine reticular structure." One might say of this specimen, a photograph of some of the villi of which is shown in figure 11, that only an extremely finely textured, disordered web of hyalin material composes the apparently intact chorionic vesicle and the enveloping villi. What we really have here is a cast of the entire chorionic vesicle, including villi, which is formed by hyalin degeneration products that have preserved the form of the vesicle in every detail. From these things it is evident that only a little longer retention of this vesicle in utero would have sufficed to effect its complete disappearance. It does not therefore follow, however, that the disintegration products necessarily would have been completely absorbed. They might, to be sure, have been expelled, at least in part, with the decidua.

The finding of this specimen recalled a personal communication made to me by Professor Mall which suggests that a small cyema received some years ago probably was in a similar structural condition. This specimen was found apparently well-preserved and normal in form when the intact chorionic vesicle was opened in the laboratory, but had completely disintegrated a few moments later.

Plate 1: Fig 6 | Fig 7 | Fig 8 | Fig 9 | Fig 10 | Fig 11 | Chapter 4 Pathologic analysis

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Mall FP. and Meyer AW. Studies on abortuses: a survey of pathologic ova in the Carnegie Embryological Collection. (1921) Contrib. Embryol., Carnegie Inst. Wash. Publ. 275, 12: 1-364.

In this historic 1921 pathology paper, figures and plates of abnormal embryos are not suitable for young students.

1921 Carnegie Collection - Abnormal: Preface | 1 Collection origin | 2 Care and utilization | 3 Classification | 4 Pathologic analysis | 5 Size | 6 Sex incidence | 7 Localized anomalies | 8 Hydatiform uterine | 9 Hydatiform tubal | Chapter 10 Alleged superfetation | 11 Ovarian Pregnancy | 12 Lysis and resorption | 13 Postmortem intrauterine | 14 Hofbauer cells | 15 Villi | 16 Villous nodules | 17 Syphilitic changes | 18 Aspects | Bibliography | Figures | Contribution No.56 | Contributions Series | Embryology History

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