Project R-10893

Minimal Invasive Autopsy to Study Cause of Death, Contributing Conditions and Pathophysiology in Deceased COVID-19 patients (Research)

Currently we do not know well which complications occur that lead to death in COVID-19 patients and what changes occur in the different organs in case of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study we answer these questions. We do this as follows: If a hospitalized COVID-19 patient dies, after consent from the legal representative, we perform postmortem a whole-body CT scan and subsequently obtain with a needle trough the skin pieces of tissue from heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and abdominal fat. Also we take blood. These materials are send to different laboratories for further studies. From the medical record, we collect relevant clinical data. These data, combined with the CT-scan results and results from the tissue examinations are the basis to establish the cause of death and contributing conditions during a deliberation of doctors from various specialties. Moreover, more detailed studies are being done on the tissues and the blood to study the interaction between the virus, the immune system and the tissues. Lastly, the unused tissue pieces are being stored in a biobank for future studies. This study will directly impact the care of hospitalized COVID-19 patients by revealing treatable or preventable complications of COVID-19 e.g. venous thrombosis or fungal infections. Also, it will inform us on potential targets for (preventive) treatment by exposing how SARS-CoV-2 damages the tissues and what are the main actors causing this damage.

22 May 2020 - 21 May 2021