Cohen PJ, Prahlow JA. Sudden death due to biventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy in a 14-year-old.
Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2014;
11:92-8. [PMID:
25549957 DOI:
10.1007/s12024-014-9637-5]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A 14-year-old African-American female with a long-standing medically and ablation-treated history of tachycardia with associated seizures died suddenly. Upon autopsy, evidence of gross non-compaction involving the left ventricle, as well as possible subtle non-compaction of the right ventricle was discovered. Microscopically, there was focal myocyte hypertrophy as well as myxoid connective tissue and subendocardial fibroelastosis in the areas affected by the non-compaction. Arrhythmia, precipitated by the underlying cardiomyopathy, led to this young girl's death. Non-compaction cardiomyopathy is a rare cardiac disorder which commonly goes undiagnosed until post-mortem, although diagnosis through echocardiogram, CT, or MRI is possible and there is criterion for diagnosis with each of these.
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