Myocardium as emboli in the systemic and pulmonary circulation

Myocardium as emboli is a decidedly rare phenomenon. Only three such examples were identified among 8033 consecutive autopsies performed over a ten-year period, 1976 to 1985, an incidence of 0.037%. In two of these three cases, myocardial emboli occurred in the systemic (coronary) circulation. The source of emboli was attributed to postinfarction ruptured ventricular septum in one patient, and to traumatized myocardium during surgical reconstruction of a univentricular heart (single ventricle) in the other. In the third case, myocardial emboli occurred in the pulmonary circulation, originating from excavation of the infundibulum at surgical correction of pulmonary atresia. A literature search has uncovered only five previously reported cases of myocardium as emboli, all occurring in the systemic circulation. To my knowledge, there has not been any previous report of myocardial emboli in the pulmonary circulation.