Sudden fatal cardiac arrest in a child with an unrecognized anterior mediastinal mass.
We report a case of sudden fatal cardiac arrest in a 3-year-old boy. The arrest occurred when he was placed in the supine position by force for a venipuncture. Autopsy revealed a large anterior mediastinal mass. The death was attributed to the airway obstruction and cardiac compression by the mass. Postural change to supine position by force was believed to have triggered compression of the cardiopulmonary system by an unrecognized anterior mediastinal mass, resulting in cardiac arrest.
Yamashita
M
M
Department of Anaesthesiology and Paediatrics, Ibaraki Children's Hospital, Mito, Japan.
Chin
I
I
Horigome
H
H
Umesato
Y
Y
Tsuchida
M
M
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003645:Death, Sudden; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013484:Supination