Postmortem diagnosis of early myocardial infarction in adult albino rats

ABSTRACT

Postmortem diagnosis of early myocardial infarction is still a puzzling problem in forensic pathology practice, especially in sudden cardiac death. Forensic autopsy data shows that sudden cardiac death victims usually die in less than 6 h after acute myocardial infarction occurs. Postmortem diagnosis of early myocardial infarction within the first 6 hours based on biochemical and morphologic changes. Rats divided into control group and operated group which had a ligation of The left anterior descending coronary artery. The rats were killed at 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 360 mines post ligation intervals. Serum and myocardial tissue samples was collected from two groups at the previous postmortem time intervals for measurement of Creatine kinase- MB, Troponin I [CTnl], myoglobin and histopathological examination by light and electron ; microscopy . The same work was repeated after induction early acute myocardial infarction by beta- adrenergic shock and by lethal hemorrhage. Levels of CK-MB and CTnl had statistical significant rise with increasing postmortem intervals whatever method of myocardial infarction induction, but myoglobin level was less sensitive in different methods of induction. Ultrastructural changes were detected after 30 mines post-mortem in different methods of induction. Diagnosis of early myocardial infarction can be performed within the first postmortem six hours Depending on biochemical and morphological changes