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Neuropathological central nervous system (CNS) post-mortem examination is a highly specialistic element of the autopsy procedure with methodological specificity. Herein we propose updated recommendations for CNS autopsy for pathologists and neuropathologists. The protocol includes the compendium of neuroanatomy with current nomenclature, consecutive steps of gross examination, as well as appropriate sampling algorithms in different clinical and pathological settings. The significance of pathoclinical cooperation in differential diagnosis is exposed. We believe it is essential to create and promote the guidelines to improve the quality of CNS post-mortem examination at the national level.

Between 1793 and 1914, there were many internationally recognised physicians active in Gdansk. Their scientific activities included, among other things, anatomopathological research, constituting a determinant of progress in medical sciences during this period. One of the most important people was Martin Heinrich Rathke (1793-1860). He is recognised as one of the founders of modern embryology. In Gdansk Rathke's successor was Wilhelm Baum (1799-1883). Baum introduced compulsory post-mortem examinations in the city hospital even after the outbreak, and he was mentor to Theodor Billroth (1829-1894). The successor of Baum as the head of the city hospital was Emil Friedrich Götz (1806-1858). He took up an important topic, which was the consent of the family of the deceased to perform an autopsy. Furthermore, it described the gradual broadening of the scope of anatomopathological activities, consistent with the postulates of the first and second Viennese school, performed in Gdansk in the nineteenth century. However, a detailed analysis of the relationship between the discoveries of nineteenth-century medicine, especially in the field of pathological anatomy, and research carried out in Gdansk, remains in the sphere of research to be done.

In this paper we would like to present probably the first surgery performed on the prostate gland followed by microscopic analysis of the obtained tumor tissue sample. We based on the existing correspondence between Ludwig von Hammen and Johann N. Pechlin, and their successors in this field as well. Von Hammen seems to be a pioneer in the area of not only urological surgery but in directing this part of medical practice from "lithotomists" to physicians, much better educated than barbers in physiology but first of all in anatomy. This 17th century physician from Gdansk tried to set new standards both for surgical medical practice but histopathological examination of the excised material as well. Due to the change of the operational skills and procedures von Hammen's work got almost forgotten, but remains remembered due to the work of historians of the medicine from following centuries., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The first both in Gdansk and in Central Europe alleged public autopsy was performed by Joachim Oelhaf in February 1613. It was an evidence for Gdansk status as one of the leading anatomical centres in Europe. The aim of the article is to present the history of teaching medicine in Gdansk in early modern era and the eminent anatomists working in Academic Gymnasium of Gdansk. The preserved report of the autopsy of a new-born child with congenital defects is analysed as one of the very first texts in pathological anatomy. The described by Oelhaf case is identified as limb-body wall complex.

Objectives: We have estimated the incidence of human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA in cervical smears of patients with cervical carcinoma, treated in 1997-1998 at the II Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland., Materials and Methods: We have examined 107 patients suffering from cervical cancer. The HPV DNA was detected with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using two primer pairs located in the E6, E7 open reading frames. HPV typing was executed by restriction fragments length polymorphism PCR (RFLP-PCR) method., Results: HPV DNA was detected in 75 (70.1%) patients. A group of patients with Ib (43%) and IIa (19.6%) clinical degrees made the highest percentage within the research group. We found no statistically significant differences between various clinical degrees of cervical cancer in the group of patients both HPV positive and negative., Conclusions: The frequency of HPV especially HPV 16 type infection incidence in cervical carcinoma is lower in Gdansk region than currently published.