DEATHS DUE TO SPONTANEOUS CARDIAC RUPTURE

(AUTOPSY PROFILES)

Asirdizer M, Cansunar FN, Yavuz MS, Sari H.

The Bulletin of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery of Haydarpasa, 1995; 3(2). 108-12.

ABSTRACT

Spontaneous heart ruptures may develop as a complication in some cardiac diseases, which occupy the far rank among the factors influencing morbidity and mortality. A considerable number of these complications are precipitated by myocardial infarction.

In the present study, autopsy reports of 10816 fatal cases of which 946 were attributed to cardiac diseases were revisal retrospectively. The cause of death was found to be a spontaneous heart rupture in ten cases. In five cases, scar tissue of myocardial infarction precipitated the fatal outcome, there was in two cases atrial aneurysm, and in one case myocarditis was responsible. Myocardial granulation tissue and fibrinous pericarditis had to rupture in one case. In a case displaying advanced putrefaction the cause of rupture could not be determined.

Mode of death, age, sex, structure, heart weight, thickness of the myocardial wall, site and precipitating factors of the rupture as well as the amount of blood pericardial tamponade and other autopsy findings are presented in detail. Furthermore, these findings were compared with the data of the literature on the object.

Key words: Cardiac ruptur, autopsy, death, acute myocardial infarction.