Post-Mortem Echocardiography as a Guide to Cardiac Autopsy—A Worthwhile Concept?

Sudden and unexpected death in the young is a common and worldwide problem. Sudden, unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), clinically unexpected death in an infant between one week and one year of age, affects around 1 in 1000 infants. Autopsy will reveal a specific cause of death in only one third of...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: J. Ker, L. Du Toit-Prinsloo, WFP. Van Heerden, G Saayman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2010-01-01
Series:Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.4137/CMC.S5676
Description
Summary:Sudden and unexpected death in the young is a common and worldwide problem. Sudden, unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), clinically unexpected death in an infant between one week and one year of age, affects around 1 in 1000 infants. Autopsy will reveal a specific cause of death in only one third of cases. This has led to various ancillary examinations in an effort to increase the diagnostic yield of the autopsy. In this case report it is suggested that another diagnostic modality, that of the post-mortem echocardiogram might be a worthwhile concept to explore.
ISSN:1179-5468