Fatal ischemic stroke due to dissecting aneurysm of the intracranial arteries presenting as sudden unexpected death in childhood

Sudden unexpected death is any nontraumatic death in healthy individuals with normal activities for age until acute demise. Whereas not uncommon in adults and infants, it is considered a rarity in children, with most cases due to infection or occult cardiovascular abnormalities. Pathologic intracranial findings are rarely found in sudden unexpected death in childhood, with most cases due to occult intracranial neoplasms. Cerebral arterial dissection is an uncommon cause of arterial ischemic stroke in childhood. Outcome is poor, with more than 20% of patients dying. We report 4 cases of sudden unexpected death due to arterial ischemic stroke after cerebral arterial dissection in childhood and present a review of the literature.     

Intracranial arteriovenous malformations presenting as sudden unexpected death: a report of 3 cases and review of the literature

Intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are cerebrovascular abnormalities due to maldevelopment of the regional capillary bed, producing lesions with arteriovenous shunting. AVMs may account for as many as 1% of all sudden deaths; however, case reports in the literature are exceedingly rare. We present 3 cases of sudden death due to hemorrhage of AVM and discuss the literature and the differential diagnosis in cases of sudden death due to intracranial hemorrhage.     

Neoplastic disease in a medicolegal autopsy material. A retrospective study in northern Sweden

Only a small fraction of sudden unexpected deaths are caused by neoplastic disease and thus subject ot medicolegal autopsy. The medicolegal autopsy forms an opportunity to study not only medically diagnosed and treated neoplasms, but also the natural evolution of untreated disease. In a series of 7,020 consecutive medicolegal autopsies in northern Sweden, we found 171 cases with malignant and/or intracranial neoplasms. In 41 cases, sudden death was caused by previously unknown tumors. The most common mechanisms of death in this group were disseminated cancer, intracranial tumors, pulmonary thromboembolism, hemoptysis, and aspiration of blood, and the most common locations were the bronchi and the lung. In some of these cases, the mechanism was sometimes dramatic, raising a question of violent death or intoxication. In 30 cases, sudden unexpected death was caused by previously known tumors, and also in this group disseminated cancer was the most common cause of death, and the most common locations were the bronchi and the lung. In 22 cases, tumors were found suicidal cases; in 14 of these, the tumor was considered to be a major causative factor to the suicide, while in eight cases the tumor was considered to be an incidental finding. The expected number of cancers in the 1,060 suicides investigated in this series was 27, according to the official cancer prevalence data. Thus, a possible over-representation of suicides among persons with cancer seems doubtful and needs further exploration.     

Sudden death associated with a multifocal type II hemangioendothelioma of the liver in a 3-month-old infant

Sudden unexpected death in an infant caused by or associated with neoplasm is rare. We describe a case of a sudden death in an apparently healthy 3-month-old female, in which the autopsy revealed a multiple type II infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma (IHE). This uncommon tumor has, untreated, a relatively high mortality rate, mainly due cardiac failure resulting from massive arteriovenous shunts, but the association with sudden infant death is very rare.     

Sudden, unexpected death due to undiagnosed frontal glioblastoma in a schizophrenic patient

The incidence of sudden death due to undiagnosed primary intracranial tumor is low in forensic autopsy. We report a case of a 48-year-old white male, known to be a schizophrenic patient for several years, and in whom a medico-legal autopsy disclosed a large, previously undiagnosed, bilateral frontal glioblastoma infiltrating the genu of corpus callosum. We emphasize the importance of performing complete autopsy, including a thorough neuropathological examination, in all cases of sudden unexpected death, especially in those cases in which no extracerebral cause of death had been established and whose clinical history was primarily of a psychiatric nature.     

Sudden death in a child due to an intrathoracic paraganglioma

A 12-year-old boy under treatment for asthma was found dead in his home. The autopsy revealed a large posterior mediastinal mass that completely compressed the upper lobe of the right lung and the associated airways. This mass extended from the right costovertebral sulcus into the thoracic spinal canal through the spinal foramen and compressed the spinal cord. It was located in the epidural space and was adherent to a nerve root. The histologic and immunocytochemical features were that of a paraganglioma. Although neurogenic tumors are the most common posterior mediastinal masses in the pediatric population, paragangliomas are rare, and spinal involvement has not been described in children. In addition, sudden death has not been reported in association with any of the 13 cases of posterior mediastinal paraganglioma described in the literature as involving the spine. This case illustrates an unusual cause of sudden death in a pediatric patient due to a benign neoplasm.     

A case of sudden infant death due to massive hemorrhage in primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

A case of the sudden death of a 14-month-old girl due to massive hemorrhage in a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is presented along with a review of the relevant literature. PNET is a rare, malignant brain neoplasm occurring predominantly in children.     

Sudden death due to cerebral leukemic hemorrhage occurring after acupuncture treatment for gingival bleeding

A 45-year-old woman who experienced stomalgia and gingival bleeding for several days died unexpectedly after acupuncture treatment. At autopsy, trivial injuries on the liver and the stomach and mild hemoperitoneum due to improper acupuncture were found. Also,acute lymphoblastic leukemia and hyperleukocytosis were diagnosed by postmortem examinations. Intracranial hemorrhage due to undiagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia was identified as the cause of death.Moreover, the relationship between therapeutic misadventure and death was also determined. We suggest that undiagnosed leukemia should be considered as a differential diagnosis when sudden death occurs owing to intracranial hemorrhage. If therapeutic misadventure was involved,it is also of great importance to assess the relationship between that and death in forensic expertise.     

Sudden unexpected death due to atherosclerotic coronary artery aneurysm

The case of a 34-year-old white male who died suddenly and unexpectedly of a thrombosed coronary artery aneurysm is presented. Coronary artery aneurysms have a prevalence of approximately 2%; over half of these are caused by atherosclerosis with the remainder due to syphilis, infections, trauma, congenital malformations, vasculitis, neoplasms, and connective tissue disorders (Ehlers-Danlos and Marfan's syndromes). Replacement of the media by atherosclerotic debris is the cause of atherosclerotic aneurysms. Complications include rupture and thrombosis. Sudden death has been reported in eight other cases of atherosclerotic aneurysms; sudden unexpected death as the presenting symptom of atherosclerotic coronary artery aneurysm, as in our case, is rare.     

原发性心肌病猝死心肌mtDNA~(4977)缺失变化

目的探讨原发性心肌病(PCM)猝死者心肌线粒体DNA(m tDNA4977)缺失情况及其与猝死的关系。方法对18例PCM猝死和28例对照组病例心肌组织蜡块,用常规方法提取心肌m tDNA,以PCR、琼脂糖紫外凝胶成像技术确定扩增产物激光密度,初步定量检测m tDNA4977缺失率。结果PCM猝死18例中,检见13例m tDNA4977缺失,占72.44%。对照组28例中,检见3例m tDNA4977缺失,占10.71%;两组病例m tDNA4977缺失率均值分别为0.5795和0.0744,差异有非常显著性意义。结论多数PCM,特别是扩张型心肌病猝死者心肌可检见m tDNA4977缺失;提示其心肌m tDNA4977缺失变化与PCM猝死的发生可能有一定关系。     

Sudden death due to primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis

Tumors of the central nervous system are an unusual cause of sudden death. This report describes the sudden death of a presumed healthy 28-year-old woman from primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis. She presented to an emergency room with headache and vomiting, subsequently became unresponsive and was pronounced dead 14 h later. Autopsy revealed a diffuse extensive infiltrate of well-differentiated astrocytoma in the leptomeninges of the brain and spinal cord without an underlying parenchymal tumor. Primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis is a rare tumor that arises within the leptomeninges from small neuroglial heterotopic rests that undergo neoplastic transformation. Grossly. this tumor can mimic leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, pachymeningitis, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, and fungal infections. However, the histologic features of primary diffuse leptomeningeal gliomatosis should allow it to be readily distinguished from grossly similar conditions. The mechanism of death in this case is most likely tumor obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid outflow resulting in the usual complications seen with increased intracranial pressure. Although this tumor is aggressive and is associated with a rapidly progressive fatal course, it has not been previously associated with sudden death.     

Sudden death due to undiagnosed Wilms' tumor in an adult

Sudden unexpected deaths due to natural causes constitute a large number of cases encountered by the forensic pathologist. In a majority of such cases, heart disease is responsible for sudden death. Rare disease entities resulting in sudden death are occasionally encountered and may not fit the classic epidemiological profile. We present a case of sudden death due to a previously undiagnosed Wilms' tumor (WT) in an adult. The pathology of WT is discussed, as is the topic of sudden death due to previously unrecognized malignancy.     

Cardiac concussion: definition, differential diagnosis, and cases presentation and the legal ramification of a misdiagnosis

A cardiac concussion is caused by a sudden, nonpenetrating, localized impact to the chest that is theorized to result in almost simultaneous sudden death from a disruption to the conductive system. The detailed external/internal forensic examination of the body reveals no evidence of structural, pathologic, or histologic signs of trauma to the heart. A cardiac concussion is a rare and often overlooked cause of sudden death. This type of sudden death is typically seen among younger individuals participating in sports involving projectiles and, to a lesser degree, where collisions occur. Cardiac concussions are clinically, pathologically, and chemically different from a cardiac contusion. The objective of this paper will be to define cardiac concussion, differentiate between cardiac concussion and cardiac contusion, and describe the clinical and pathologic features of a 32-year-old white male who died of a cardiac concussion following a collision with a catcher during a softball game. The civil ramification of incorrectly diagnosing the manner of death in cases of death involving a cardiac concussion will also be addressed.     

过敏性和冠心病猝死者心肌组织中肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶、脑利钠肽的表达

目的探讨肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶、脑利钠肽(brain natriuretic peptide,BNP)在过敏性猝死和冠心病猝死鉴别诊断中的意义。方法选取山西医科大学法医病理学教研室2010—2015年尸检案例心肌标本共30例,分为颅脑损伤致死组、过敏性猝死组、冠心病猝死组,每组各10例。采用免疫荧光染色和Western印迹法分析各组心肌组织肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶和BNP的表达。结果过敏性猝死组、冠心病猝死组心肌组织内肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶免疫荧光染色均出现阳性染色;三组间两两比较,表达差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05)。冠心病猝死组心肌组织内BNP的表达量高于过敏性猝死组、颅脑损伤致死组(P0.05),过敏性猝死组与颅脑损伤致死组之间差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论联合检测心肌组织内肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶、BNP有望为过敏性猝死和冠心病猝死的法医学鉴别诊断提供帮助。     

Sudden unexpected death resulting from previously nonsymptomatic subependymoma

A 34-year-old, previously healthy man died suddenly and unexpectedly. The autopsy showed brain and pulmonary edema, numerous small meningeal meningiomas, bilateral and symmetrical juxtaventricular meningiomas, and a well-demarcated gray tan tumor in the medulla oblongata and upper cervical spinal cord. The latter tumor was a subependymoma with features of ependymoma in places. The authors describe and discuss the characteristics of this rare central nervous system tumor, its histogenesis, and its coexistence with other intracranial tumors. The possible mechanisms of death in the present case include compression of vital centers and acute obstruction of the cerebrospinal fluid flow.     

Mallory-Weiss syndrome as the cause of sudden, unexpected death

The Mallory-Weiss-syndrome is an upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage due to longitudinal mucosal lacerations in the oesophagogastric junction. The mucosal lacerations occur as a sequel of vomiting or any other increase in intraabdominal pressure and account for up to 15% of all upper gastrointestinal bleedings. If death is due to a bleeding Mallory-Weiss-tear, however, massive blood stains on the corpse and around it frequently give rise to the suspicion of an unnatural cause of death. For this reason, autopsy is usually indispensable to elucidate the circumstances in which death occurred. The authors carried out a retrospective analysis of 5958 autopsies performed between 1997 and 2001 at the Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Hamburg, in order to identify all cases of Mallory-Weiss-syndrome as cause of sudden, unexpected death. The results (9 cases, amounting to 0.15% of all autopsies) suggest that Mallory-Weiss-syndrome is probably much more common as a cause of sudden death than previously described. Regarding epidemiological aspects, men clearly predominate; the average age was 48 years. It should also be stressed that in 8 of the 9 cases there was a previous history of chronic alcohol abuse.     

Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm--unusual complication of an electric shock.

Here we report about a 35-year-old electrical engineer who was found dead in his study. Postmortem examination revealed that death resulted because of subarachnoid and intraventricular hemorrhage caused by the rupture of an intracranial aneurysm. Right hand and left cheek revealed electrical marks with metallizations on skin, an electric shock was diagnosed to have preceded death. The close temporal correlation suggests that a sudden rise in blood pressure was caused by the electric current and was thus responsible for the rupture of the aneurysm.     

A case of sudden death from primary intracranial germinoma complicated by microvascular disease of the heart

A coroner's autopsy conducted on an 11.5-year-old girl, with a history of hypopituitarism, manifesting as growth hormone deficiency associated with short stature, demonstrated the presence of an undiagnosed hypothalamic intracranial germinoma, showing hypophyseal and mesencephalic invasion, together with histological evidence of microvascular (small coronary artery) disease of the heart. The substantive, or primary, cause of her sudden death was clearly the intracranial germinoma, which was acutely haemorrhagic and necrotic. However, it is postulated that there might be an, as yet, undescribed association between this malignancy and the pathogenesis of the coronary microvascular disease; the latter being deemed, in this instance, to be a contributory cause of death.     

类胰蛋白酶和IgE测定在过敏性猝死诊断中的应用研究

目的探讨过敏性猝死法医学鉴定的诊断方法和指标。方法采取10例正常人、9例过敏性猝死和19例其他死因（排除过敏反应、冠心病）尸体的静脉血，采用荧光酶联免疫法（Pharmacia UniCAP100过敏原定量分析仪）和酶联免疫吸附试验ELISA法分别测定血清肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶和]gE含量，采用免疫组化方法观察过敏性猝死和其他死因的肺组织中的肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶免疫组化染色。结果过敏性猝死者的血清类胰蛋白酶和IgE含量升高，与其他死因之间的差异具有显著性意义（P〈0．01），其他死因和正常人之间的差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）；与其它死因相比，过敏性猝死肺组织中的肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶免疫组化阳性染色增强（P〈0．01）。结论过敏性猝死者血清IgE和肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶含量显著升高；过敏性猝死者肺组织中肥大细胞类胰蛋白酶染色增强。     

Association of right coronary artery hypoplasia with sudden death in an eleven-year-old child

Congenital coronary artery abnormalities are a rare but well-documented cause of sudden and unexpected death in the pediatric age group. Most reported cases involve both an aberrant origin and course of the abnormal vessel. A case of unexpected death occurring in an otherwise healthy eleven-year-old boy, who had been previously investigated for sudden collapse, is described. The major finding at autopsy was marked disparity in diameter between the coronary arteries due to diffuse hypoplasia of the right coronary artery. This case demonstrates the importance of meticulous examination of the coronary artery system in cases of sudden death in childhood so that significant reduction in luminal cross section will be adequately documented. The possible role played by this finding in the etiology of sudden death is discussed.