Sudden death from occlusive disease of the atrioventricular node artery

Non-atherosclerotic focal occlusive disease of the atrioventricular node artery was the only significant pathological lesion found at autopsy in 2 individuals aged 40 and 17 yr who died suddenly and unexpectedly. The cases were observed amongst 115 autopsies categorized as sudden cardiac death and performed during an 18 mth period. Occlusive disease of the atrioventricular node artery is a poorly documented entity of unknown aetiology and pathogenesis. We believe it is a more frequent pathological finding in sudden cardiac death than has been previously recognized and that it deserves more attention than it currently receives.