AN AUTOPSY BASED STUDY OF MICROSCOPIC ISCHEMIC CHANGES IN SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATHS
Keywords:
Myocardial Ischemia, Gross changes, Microscopic FindingsAbstract
Sudden death cases are regularly encountered by forensic experts. In present study, 30 sudden cardiac death cases were studied for gross and histopathological changes in heart after excluding other causes. Acute myocardial infarction and old infarct changes were found in varying proportion on gross and microscopy. On histological examination hyperaemia of myocardium and hypertrophy of left ventricle were most common findings in acute cases which are nonspecific. Typical infarction changes are not commonly detected in sudden deaths. On microscopic examination congestion and oedema were detected in most cases. Polymorphonuclear cell infiltrate, waviness of fibres, haemorrhages, and loss of striations, hypereosinophilia, coagulative necrosis and fibrosis were found in significant number of cases.
References
1. Michael T.S, Deborah J.H. Post Mortem Technique Handbook. 2nd edition. London: Springer; 2004; 141- 68.
2. Ewa Trzos et al. Myocardial infarction in young people. Cardiology Journal; 2009; 16(4):307-311. 3.. Debit A et al. Increase in death from coronary artery disease in young adults. American Heart J; 2011 Mar; 161(3):574-580.
4. Reichenbach DD, Moss NS. Myocardial Cell Necrosis and Sudden death. Supplement III to Circulation 1975Dec; 51-52(3):60-2.
5. Rodriguez-calvo MS, Tourret MN, Concheiro L, Munoz J, Suarez-Penaranda J. Detection of apoptosis in Ischemic heart, usefulness in Diagnosis of early myocardial injury. American journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. 2001; 22(3): 278-84.
6. Bernard B, Guido M. Histopathology of Early Myocardial Infarcts: A New Approach. American Journal of Pathology; 1974 Feb, 74(2); 301-318.
7. Baroldi G. Different types of myocardial necrosis in coronary heart disease. American Heart Journal. 1975 Jun; 89(6):742-52.
8. Bouchardy B, Majno G. histopathology of esrly myocardial infarct. Am.J. pathology. 1974; 74:301-30.
9. Bashe WJ, Baba N, Keller DM, Geer JC, Anthony JR. Pathology of atherosclerotic heart disease in sudden death. Supplement III to Circulation. 1975 Dec; 51-52(3):63-69.
