Zenker's degeneration is a severe glassy or waxy hyaline degeneration or necrosis of skeletal muscles in acute infectious diseases; a prototype of coagulative necrosis.
The condition was named by Friedrich Albert von Zenker. It is a hyaline degeneration of skeletal muscles such as rectus abdominis and diaphragm, and occurs in severe toxaemia as typhoid fever. It is also seen in electrical burns.[1] Grossly the muscles appear pale and friable; microscopically, the muscle fibres are swollen, have a loss of cross striations, and show a hyaline appearance. Rupture and small hemorrhage may complicate the lesion. Coagulative necrosis occurs here.
. Aggrawal. Anil. Forensic Medicine and Toxicology for Homeopathy. 2016. Avichal Publishing Company. New Delhi. 9788177394979. 228. 1. Anil Aggrawal.