ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 July 1981
Page Count: 6

Sudden Unexpected Death Due to Asymptomatic Cardiac Rhabdomyoma
Violette, EJ
Senior pathology major and assistant professor of pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Vt.

McQuillen, EN
Chief medical examiner, Office of the Medical Examiner, Vt.

Hardin, NJ
Senior pathology major and assistant professor of pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Vt.

(Received 26 July 1980; accepted 7 January 1981)

Abstract

A case of cardiac rhabdomyoma producing sudden unexpected death in an asymptomatic six-year-old boy is reported. Cardiac rhabdomyoma is a rare tumor, and its ability to cause sudden unexpected death in children beyond infancy is not generally known. The great majority of afflicted patients die in early infancy; few survive beyond five years of age. The signs and symptoms present in most cases are said to be due to interference of intracardiac blood flow or to interruption of the cardiac conduction system. Numerous cases have been clinically misdiagnosed because of this tumor's ability to mimic other cardiac diseases.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, death, cardiovascular system, rhabdomyoma

Paper ID: JFS11406J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11406J
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