title: Bifid cardiac apex and high take off: an unusual association in a case of sudden death.
abstract: Bifid cardiac apex is a very rare finding in human and its presence is generally associated with other heart defects. We present the case of an 11-year old boy, with a positive family history for sudden cardiac death, who died while he was playing with his friends. An autopsy was performed, and on gross examination, bifid cardiac apex and high take off of right coronary artery were found. Furthermore, on histological examination, signs of myo-pericarditis were observed. This is, at our knowledge, the first case in literature in which bifid cardiac apex is associated with a high take off of right coronary artery.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy, 88100 Germaneto.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Bartolo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy, 88100 Germaneto.
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Italy, 00168 Roma. Electronic address: vincenzo.arena@policlinicogemelli.it.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy, 88100 Germaneto.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ausania
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston/Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030.
authors.forename: Luis Maximilian
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Buja
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Italy, 88100 Germaneto.
authors.forename: Pietrantonio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ricci
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D002648:Child; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: Autopsy; Bifid cardiac apex; Congenital heart defects; Sudden cardiac death