Celphos (aluminum phosphide) poisoning is the most common cause of poisoning in India. The mechanism of action, acute and chronic effect on human body, its symptoms and signs, and the line of treatment are well documented and research is still going on to find a suitable antidote. "Spontaneous ignition" is a rare but interesting finding in case of aluminum phosphide poisoning. We present the autopsy findings in this case report along with the probable factors that led to occurrence of such finding.

Cutaneous electrocution marks are the key indicator that aid forensic pathologists in establishing electrocution as the cause of death, especially when crime scene and internal autopsy findings do not provide significant information. The gross findings of electrocution mark are often confused with impact abrasion and the burns produced by high voltage flash are often indistinguishable with flame burns. The present study aims to identify cutaneous light microscopic histological indicators, which are peculiar to electrocution marks, burns and impact abrasions. Cutaneous tissue samples from injury sites and healthy areas were collected from 45 autopsy cases and examined under light microscope. The histological changes observed were intra-epidermal separation of cells, sub-epidermal separation, coagulative necrosis in the epidermis and dermis, epidermal and dermal cell nuclear elongation and streaming, pyknotic tightly packed epidermal nuclei, dark staining of epidermal nuclei, homogenization of dermal collagen, and vascular dilatation, congestion, hemorrhage and thrombosis. The study revealed that certain histological changes are helpful in differentiating electrocution mark from other types of injuries, which present themselves in various types morphologically and thus facilitate correct diagnosis during autopsy. Pyknotic and tightly packed epidermal nuclei was found characteristic of electrocution mark produced by high voltage current.

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Hypoplastic coronary artery disease (HCAD) is a rare coronary artery anomaly that may be the cause of sudden death. It can involve a single or all coronary arteries. This anomaly may cause circulatory insufficiency leading to myocardial infarction. HCAD has no symptoms or may exhibit cardiovascular signs like syncope, dyspnea, chest discomfort, or dizziness. It is often diagnosed at autopsy, and early diagnosis is made with a coronary angiogram. We report HCAD as the cause of the sudden death of a 25-year-old female with a history of loss of consciousness following exertion. On autopsy, all the coronary arteries’ lumen was narrowed with thin vessel walls. Histopathological examination shows an underdeveloped and missing muscular layer of the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries’ vascular wall. Many cases of HCAD diagnosed by radiographic imaging in living patients have been reported in the literature, but a structural anomaly of coronaries leading to HCAD has not been reported. We report a case of HCAD describing the histopathological examination findings of the vascular wall of coronary vessels illustrating the structural difference.

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