Cardiac concussion: definition, differential diagnosis, and cases presentation and the legal ramification of a misdiagnosis |
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Authors: | Koehler Steven A Shakir Abdulrezak Ladham Shaun Rozin Leon Omalu Bennet Dominick Joe Wecht Cyril H |
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Affiliation: | Allegheny County Coroner's Office, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. skoehler@county.allegheny.pa.us |
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Abstract: | 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. |
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