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Pre-Chiasmatic, Single Injection of Autologous Blood to Induce Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in a Rat Model
Published on: June 18, 2021
Sudden death due to subarachnoid bleeding from ecchordosis physaliphora
T Fracasso1, B Brinkmann, W Paulus
1Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Münster, Röntgenstrasse 23, 48149 Münster, Germany. Tony.Fracasso@ukmuenster.de
International Journal of Legal Medicine
|September 6, 2007
Summary
Ecchordosis physaliphora, a rare intracranial mass, can cause sudden death. Autopsy revealed subarachnoid bleeding from an ecchordosis physaliphora in the prepontine space as the cause of death.
Area of Science:
- Neuropathology
- Forensic Pathology
Background:
- Ecchordosis physaliphora (EP) is a rare intracranial mass originating from ectopic notochordal tissue.
- Typically an incidental finding, EP rarely presents with symptoms.
Observation:
- This study details a case of sudden, unexpected death in a 48-year-old woman.
- Autopsy identified subarachnoid bleeding, originating from a gelatinous mass in the prepontine space, as the cause of death.
Findings:
- Histological and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the mass as Ecchordosis physaliphora.
- This diagnosis links EP to a fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential, though rare, for Ecchordosis physaliphora to cause significant clinical events, including fatal hemorrhage.
- It underscores the importance of considering EP in the differential diagnosis of intracranial masses, especially in forensic investigations.
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