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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
Death associated with an unruptured giant intracranial aneurysm
Katarina Vaahtera1, Philippe Lunetta
1Hjelt-Institute, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. katarina.vaahtera@helsinki.fi
Abstract:
Deaths due to or associated with unruptured giant intracranial aneurysms are extremely rare. We describe a case of a sudden death associated with an unruptured giant vertebrobasilar aneurysm in a symptomatic 18-year-old male. Post-mortem examination revealed three giant fusiform and thrombosed aneurysms (vertebrobasilar junction, internal carotid arteries), an old infarct with some sub-acute changes in the brain stem and medulla, an incipient pneumonia, and a high blood alcohol concentration (2.4 o/oo). The association of these findings suggest the role of a multi-factorial respiratory dysfunction as a pathophysiological mechanism leading to death. In fatal cases related to giant intracranial aneurysm, a number of triggers and contributing factors, with potential medico-legal implications, must be appropriately considered in the chain of events leading to death.
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