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Sudden death associated with a cardiac diverticulum
C T Cooke1, J R Nolan, C J Kilburn
1Department of Forensic Pathology, State Health Laboratory Services, Perth, Western Australia.
The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology
|December 1, 1991
Insights
A rare left ventricular diverticulum caused a fatal anterior myocardial infarction by compressing the left main coronary artery in a young Aboriginal man. This case highlights an unusual cause of sudden cardiac death.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pathology
- Anatomical Abnormalities
Background:
- Chest pain is a common presenting symptom in emergency departments.
- Myocardial infarction (MI) typically results from coronary artery disease.
- Congenital cardiac anomalies can present atypically in young adults.
Abstract:
We describe the unusual case of a 20-year-old Aboriginal man who was admitted to hospital with chest pain. He died 1 day later. Necropsy showed extensive anterior myocardial infarction in the left ventricle. An isolated diverticulum arising from the subaortic valve region of the left ventricle had compressed the left main coronary artery.