Pathological approaches to SIDS. I. Special emphasis on the histopathological differences between SIDS and asphyxia.

Histopathological observation was performed to clarify pathological differences of the lung between SIDS and asphyxia. In regard to pulmonary edema, there was no significant difference between SIDS and asphyxia. Occurrences of microemboli in the pulmonary vessels in cases of SIDS showing aspiration of gastric content into the lung, asphyxia and drowning were significantly high, compared with that of SIDS cases without aspiration.