Pathologist

The pathologist - the doctor with the higher medical education specializing in pathological anatomy - opening of the dead for the purpose of detection of possible pathologies, proceeding from a normal structure of a human body. Treatment of morbid conditions does not belong to duties of the doctor of the pathologist.

The profession of the pathologist arose in the 19th century. The first scientific principles of the morphological method applied in pathology and till today were put by the German scientific figure Rudolf Virkhov who showed a cellular essence of any disease in practice. Eventually to explain the nature of the pathological processes proceeding in an organism with one cellular theory it appeared it is impossible, there were hormonal and neurohumoral doctrines which laid the foundation for a patologoanatomiya as the new functional direction in medicine.

Tasks and subject of studying of the doctor of the pathologist

Subject of studying of the doctor of the pathologist are pathological processes at the cellular, fabric, subcellular and organ levels. Treat the tasks entering professional activity of the specialist:

• Identification of the reasons and conditions of development of the pathological processes happening in an organism;
• Studying of a pathogeny - the mechanism of origin and a course of a disease, and also its separate manifestations;
• Establishment of the characteristic of a morphological picture of a disease;
• Studying of possible complications and result of pathological process;
• Research of pattern of change of a picture of a disease (pathomorphism);
• Studying of the pathological processes which appeared owing to holding medical and diagnostic procedures (yatrogeniya);
• Posthumous and intravital diagnosis of diseases by means of the methods studying both an external, and internal structure of an organism.

During the practical activities the doctor the pathologist carries out both posthumous, and intravital diagnosis of pathological processes. Intravital diagnosis is called the term "biopsy" that in the literal translation with Greek means "I look live", meaning capture at the sick person of fabrics from remote bodies or their separate parts. The piece of fabric received at the same time is called bioptaty. During the research of biological material the pathologist defines existence or absence in it of cancer cells and sends the corresponding result with the indication of the diagnosis to the attending physician.

In a complex with other researches the conclusion of the pathologist plays an important role when diagnosing diseases, planning further treatment, operational interventions.

Pathoanatomical opening

Opening by the pathologist and research of corpses of the died people carries the name "autopsy" ("I look itself"). The purpose of pathoanatomical opening (or as it is called still, abductions) is definition of nature of the painful changes which caused the death of the patient. Distinguish also medicolegal opening which is carried out by order of judicial authorities if it is supposed that death came owing to criminal or violent actions.

This medical procedure is important in practice of teaching activity, improvement of medical knowledge, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. On the basis of pathoanatomical opening problems of resuscitation and thanatology are solved, mortality statistics are defined.

In all European countries including in Russia, pathoanatomical opening is made only with the written permission of relatives of the dead, except cases when:

• It is impossible to establish the exact final diagnosis of the disease which entailed death regardless of duration of finding of the patient in a hospital;
• Suspicion about overdose of the dead was revealed by medicines;
• Death came owing to diagnostic, preventive, tool, resuscitation, medical procedures, during hemotransfusion;
• Death came at suspicion of infectious, oncological diseases, environmental disasters;
• Approach of death at pregnant women, women in labor, and also the women who are in a puerperal period was recorded.
• The fact of death demands a medicolegal research of a corpse.

Results of the conducted researches are made out in the form of the pathoanatomical conclusion. The conclusion of the pathologist in this case reflects a cause of death, whether it be death from a disease, violent death or a medical error.

How to receive a profession of the pathologist

The doctor the pathologist is the person with the higher medical education who had postgraduate training in "Pathological anatomy". This specialist has to know the maintenance of pathological anatomy as practical discipline, to own modern methods of pathoanatomical diagnosis, rules of filling of normative and legal and methodical documents, order of conducting pathoanatomical examinations, the general and private principles of clinical, laboratory, tool diagnosis of systems and bodies of a human body, techniques of treatment of basic diseases, conducting medico-social examination, etc.

The profession of the pathologist means existence at the specialist of such personal qualities as patience, scrupulousness, analytical thinking, good memory, responsibility, respect for the high moral principles.