[Cardiovascular pathology and the partial autopsy. The experience at the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez of Mexico].

There is no doubt autopsies are still a powerful source of medical information. At the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología de México 50% of deaths are autopsied. About half are limited cardiothoracic studies. Since no previous evaluation of the utility of the information obtained from those limited necropsies, we decided to test how well they allowed for a good clinical and anatomical correlation of main disease and a cause of death, as well as their potential to respond clinical questions relevant to the case. We analyzed the medical and autopsy records from 50 cases and determined autopsy type (limited or total), age, sex, main disease and cause of death. It was also included a list of questions made by the attending physician who asked for autopsy. Twenty-six cases corresponded to limited autopsies. In 96.1% there was a good anatomical and clinical correlation of main disease. In 69.2% the cause of death had also a good correlation and in 92.3% of the cases the clinician's question were answered appropriately. Based in our results we support the idea that cardiovascular limited autopsies are an alternative way to obtain useful information, when otherwise, total autopsies result expensive or difficult to obtain.