Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 14, Issue 3 , Pages 172-174 , April 2007

Sudden death from a “broken heart” in a young woman

  • F. Clarot

      Affiliations

    • Rouen University Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Rouen-Charles, Nicolle-Rouen 76031, France
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +33 232888673; fax: +33 232888367.
    • ,
  • E. Vaz

      Affiliations

    • Rouen University Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Rouen-Charles, Nicolle-Rouen 76031, France
    • ,
  • C. Vicomte

      Affiliations

    • Rouen University Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Rouen-Charles, Nicolle-Rouen 76031, France
    • ,
  • C. Gricourt

      Affiliations

    • Rouen University Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Rouen-Charles, Nicolle-Rouen 76031, France
    • ,
  • F. Papin

      Affiliations

    • Caen University Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU cote de Nacre, Caen 14000, France
    • ,
  • B. Proust

      Affiliations

    • Rouen University Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Rouen-Charles, Nicolle-Rouen 76031, France

References 

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  2. Friedman HS, Kuhn LA, Katz AM. Clinical and electrocardiographic features of cardiac rupture following acute myocardial infarction. Am J Med. 1971;50:709–720
  3. Bates R, Beutler S, Resnekov L, et al. Cardiac rupture – challenge in diagnosis and management. Am J Cardiol. 1977;40:429–437
  4. Rasmussen S, Leth A, Kjoller E, et al. Cardiac rupture in acute myocardial infarction. A review of 72 consecutive cases. Acta Med Scand. 1979;205:11–16
  5. Dellborg M, Held P, Swedberg K, et al. Rupture of the myocardium. Occurrence and risk factors. Br Heart J. 1985;54:11–16
  6. Shapira I, Isakow A, Burke M, et al. Cardiac rupture in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Chest. 1987;92:219–223
  7. Pollack H, Miczoch J. Effect of nitrates on the frequency of left ventricular free wall rupture complicating acute myocardial infarction: a case-controlled study. Am Heart J. 1994;128:446–471
  8. Blinc A, Noc M, Pohar B, et al. Subacute rupture of the left ventricular free wall after acute myocardial infarction. Three cases of long-term survival without emergency surgery. Chest. 1996;109:565–567
  9. Lewis AJ, Burchell HB, Titus JL. Clinical and pathologic features of post-infarction cardiac rupture. Am J Cardiol. 1969;23:43–53
  10. Reddy SG, Roberts WC. Frequency of rupture of the left ventricular free wall or ventricular septum among necropsy cases of fatal acute myocardial infarction since introduction of coronary care units. Am J Cardiol. 1989;63:906–911
  11. Pohjola-Sintonen S, Muller JE, Stone PH, et al. Ventricular septal and free wall rupture complicating acute myocardial infarction: experience in the multicenter investigation of limitation of infarct size. Am Heart J. 1989;117:809–816
  12. Mann JM, Roberts WC. Rupture of the left ventricular free wall during acute myocardial infarction: analysis of 138 necropsy patients and comparison with 50 necropsy patients with acute myocardial infarction without rupture. Am J Cardiol. 1988;62:847–859
  13. Becker RC, Gore JM, Lambrew C, et al. A composite view of cardiac rupture in the United States national registry of myocardial infarction. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1996;27:1321–1326
  14. Kenneth DH, Joan S, Marvin L, Geetha AN. Cardiac rupture in acute myocardial infarction a reassessment. Am J Forensic Pathol. 2002;23:78–82
  15. Naeim F, De la Maza LM, Robbins SL. Cardiac rupture during myocardial infarction. A review of 44 cases. Circulation. 1972;45:1231–1239
  16. Wessler S, Zoll PM, Schlesinger MJ. The pathogenesis of spontaneous cardiac rupture. Circulation. 1952;6:334–351
  17. Saffitz JE, Fredrickson RC, Roberts WC. Relation of size of transmural acute myocardial infarct to mode of death, interval between infarction and death and frequency of coronary arterial thrombi. Am J Cardiol. 1986;57:1249–1254
  18. Mann JM, Roberts WC. Rupture of the left ventricular free wall during acute myocardial infarction: analysis of 138 necropsy patients and comparison with 50 necropsy patients with acute myocardial infarctions without rupture. Am J Cardiol. 1988;62:847–859
  19. Cruz H, Cruz JC, Badui E, Galindo ME, Solorio S, Bojorges R. Cardiac rupture in acute myocardial infarct. Presentation of 20 post-mortem cases. Arch Inst Cardiol Mex. 1997;67(1):51–58
  20. Yamada EY, Fukunaga FH. Cardiopulmonary complications of external cardiac massage. Hawaii Med J. 1969;29:114–117
  21. Atcheson SG, Petersen GV, Fred HL. Ill-effects of cardiac resuscitation: report of two unusual cases. Chest. 1975;67:615–616
  22. Noffsinger AE, Blisard KS, Balko MG. Cardiac laceration and pericardial tamponade due to cardiopulmonary resuscitation after myocardial infarction. J Forensic Sci. 1991;36:1760–1764
  23. Takada A, Saito K, Kobayashi M. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation does not cause left ventricular rupture of the heart with acute myocardial infarction: a pathological analysis of 77 autopsy cases. Leg Med. 2003;5(1):27–33
  24. Yaku H, Fermanis G, Horton DA, Guy D, Lvoff R. Successful repair of a ruptured postinfarct pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle. Ann Thorac Surg. 1995;60:1097–1098
  25. Bashour T, Kabbani SS, Ellertson DG, Crew J, Hanna ES. Surgical salvage of heart rupture: report of two cases and review of the literature. Ann Thorac Surg. 1983;36:209–213

PII: S1353-1131(06)00097-6

doi: 10.1016/j.jcfm.2006.03.005

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 14, Issue 3 , Pages 172-174 , April 2007

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