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Sudden death due to cardiac sarcoidosis in a case of suspected homicide

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Summary

In a case of suspected homicide death due to natural causes — cardiac death (SCD) — was found at autopsy. Despite an extensive replacement of myocardial tissue by sarcoid granulomata there was no history of cardiac dysfunction or preceding symptoms. The transmurally infiltrating granulomata and the concomitant fibrosis were predominantly confluent. They occupied vast areas within the interventricular septum and the adjacent posterior wall of the left ventricle. The only other organs involved were mediastinal lymph nodes, which appeared macroscopically normal.

Zusammenfassung

Es wird über einen plötzlichen Herztodesfall berichtet, bei dem zunächst ein Fremdverschulden nicht ausgeschlossen werden konnte. Die Sektion ergab eine Sarkoidose des Herzens mit einer umfangreichen teils transmuralen granulomatösen Durchsetzung des Myokards in der Hinterwand des linken Ventrikels sowie im Kammerseptum. Abgesehen von einigen mediastinalen Lymphknoten gab es keinen weiteren Organbefall.

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Ogbuihi, S., Fechner, G. & Brinkmann, B. Sudden death due to cardiac sarcoidosis in a case of suspected homicide. Int J Leg Med 106, 99–102 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01225048

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01225048

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