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Sudden Gastrointestinal Deaths of a Child due to a Fecaloma: a Multilevel Forensic Pathological Approach
G V Lacasella1, S De Simone1, M Karaboue1
1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Insights
Sudden pediatric gastrointestinal death is rare. A 9-year-old child died unexpectedly from severe intestinal obstruction caused by a fecaloma, highlighting the need for thorough post-mortem investigations.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
Background:
- Sudden gastrointestinal deaths are rare, particularly in children.
- They are less common than sudden deaths from cardiovascular, respiratory, or neurological causes.
Observation:
- A case of a 9-year-old child with no prior medical history presented with abdominal pain and diarrhea, followed by sudden death.
- Autopsy revealed severe intestinal obstruction due to a rectosigmoid fecaloma.
Findings:
- The fecaloma caused a complete intestinal obstruction.
- Immunohistochemical analysis indicated intestinal inflammation.
Implications:
- Forensic pathological investigation is crucial for determining the cause of sudden death.
- A comprehensive post-mortem examination, including immunohistochemistry, is essential for accurate diagnosis.
Background:
Sudden gastrointestinal deaths refer to unexpected fatalities that occure due severe gastrointestinal conditions. They are rare, especially when compared to sudden deaths caused by cardiovascular, respiratory or neurological events. It is even more rare that a sudden death due to gastrointestinal causes occurs in a child.
Results:
We presented a unique case of sudden death of a 9-year-old child with no pertinent medical history, presenting abdominal pain and diarrhea and deceased shortly after the onset of symptoms. The autopsy showed a severe intestinal obstruction due to a rectosigmoid fecaloma. In addition, the immunohistochemical evaluation revealed an inflammation of the intestine.
Conclusion:
In case of sudden deaths, forensic pathological investigation is essential to determine the cause of death. Diagnosis can only be made through a rigorous and multi-level post-mortem approach in which immunostochemical investigation can also make an important contribution.
