Postmortem Study of Histopathological Lesions of Heart in Cases of Sudden Death - Incidental Findings

ABSTRACT

Background: According to the World Health Organization, definition of sudden death is of death within 24 hours from the onset of symptoms, but this time is too long for many clinicians and pathologists some of them accept death only within one hour from the onset of illness. We aim to determine the histopathological lesions of heart in cases of sudden death. Methods: The study was conducted in the department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Patiala. Heart specimens were collected from 160 cases as part of examination of multiple viscera, over a period of three years from 2013-2017. Only those cases which were well preserved were taken up for study. Sections from representative area were submitted for processing, sectioned and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin stain. Results: Out of a total of 160 cases, 79 cases showed atherosclerosis, 58 cases showed features of myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial infarction was found in 29 cases, 4 cases showed fatty streaks and 2 cases each showed myocarditis and cardiomyopathy. In 40 cases, there were no remarkable changes. Conclusion: It was concluded that myocardial infarction due to atherosclerotic ischaemic heart disease is probably the commonest diagnosis made in majority of cases of sudden death subjected to medicolegal autopsies. Histopathological findings must be evaluated with great attention to identify cause in cases of sudden death.