Unexpected death in two young infants mimics SIDS: autopsies demonstrate tumors of medulla and heart.
A total of 423 medicolegal autopsies of infants under the age of 1 year were done during a 15-year period (1980-1994) at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Stockholm. Only two instances with findings of tumors occurred. One was a unilateral oligodendroglioma involving the medullary reticular formation and inferior olivary nucleus with associated myocardial alterations; the other was a fibroma of the left heart ventricle. Both are interesting with regard to their localization--the medulla oblongata and the heart--and by causing death in a way that mimics the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In the heart of the infant with oligodendroglioma, a single fascicle of hamartomatous, immature appearing heart muscle fibers was found, making the interpretation of the cause of death more intricate.
Rajs
J
J
Department of Forensic Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Råsten-Almqvist
P
P
Nennesmo
I
I
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000473:pathology*; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000473:pathology*