From skull to visage.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C C Snow.
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A series of cases is reported in which pink teeth were observed during the postmortem period. Most cases were associated with decomposition in a moist environment. Experimental procedures led to the extraction of pink material from dentin and demonstration that hemoglobin and serum proteins were present. The pink-tooth phenomenon was duplicated in human teeth by instilling into the pulp chambers whole blood and blood with the red cells hemolyzed. The change was manifested in teeth of dogs after freezing, heating, and decomposition in a moist environment. The authors postulate that pink teeth occur as a result of breakdown of red blood cells in the pulp chamber of the tooth and diffusion of hemoglobin and other serum proteins into the dentin via the dential tubules. Histochemical studies show that the brown or gray material in some teeth subjected to postmortem aging is probably hemoglobin and serum proteins. Factors of age, vascularity of the pulp chamber, and postmortem conditions are discussed in relation to the postmortem development of pink teeth.
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) offers spectacularly detailed images of thoracic aortic anatomy and blood flow; however, its utility for diagnosis of aortic trauma is unknown. Our case underscores the ability of TEE to diagnose aortic transection. The speed, mobility, and accuracy of TEE makes it an attractive means of diagnosing aortic trauma in the critically ill.