Abstract

LUCENA, J. et al. Multiple sclerosis in a woman died by burns in a house fire. Cuad. med. forense [online]. 2004, n.38, pp.59-65. ISSN 1988-611X.

The multiple sclerosis (MS) or plaque sclerosis is the most frequent of the inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the SNC and the most incapacitating neurological disorder in young adults. It is characterized by the presence of focal an scattered lesions in the white matter called plaques in which the hallmark is the loss of myelin (demyelination) with the preservation of axons. It is uncommon that this disorder enters in the medico-legal field because, in general, has a very good clinical diagnosis and in case of interest to confirm the post-mortem diagnosis a clinical autopsy would be performed. We present the neuropathological findings of a woman aged 47 years, handicapped (wheel's chair) due to MS with a progression of 17 years, who died by burns in a house fire.

Keywords : Multiple sclerosis; burns; fire; forensic neuropathology.

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