title: [Sudden death as a result of conduction disturbances. Part I. Quantitative pathology of conduction and conduction disorders].
abstract: This quantitative histological study of the conduction system comprises 57 patients showing electrocardiographically documented conduction disturbances. In the sinu-atrial node of all patients with sick sinus syndrome the ratio of specific cells to connective tissue shows a shift in favour of connective tissue. In most patients with permanent complete atrio-ventricular block, we found a lesion destroying three quarters of the fibres at one level at least of the av-node or the main bundle. These criteria are used to investigate the conduction system of patients dying suddenly and unexpectedly. A ratio of specific cells to connective tissue below 0.2 in the sinu-atrial node is highly suggestive of nodal dysfunction. A lesion of the av-node or the main bundle comprising three quarters of the whole structure is nearly always accompanied by av-block. If such a lesion in the conduction system is the only pathological autopsy finding, the cause of death is most probably cardiac arrest due to this lesion.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000473:pathology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000473:pathology; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000473:pathology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012804:Sick Sinus Syndrome / Q000473:pathology
vernacular_title: Der plötzliche Hertzod als Folge einer Reizleitungsstörung. I. Teil. Quantitative Pathologie der Reizbildungs-und Reizleitungs-störungen.