Sudden Death Forensic Pathology Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions, classifications, and systemic causes of sudden natural death based on forensic pathology lecture notes.

Sudden Death

A natural death that occurs suddenly, unexpectedly, and without an obvious explanation, occurring over a timeframe ranging from seconds up to $24$ hours according to WHO.

Class 1 Sudden Death

Deaths where autopsy discloses the cause of death with $100\%$ certainty, accounting for approximately $5\%$ of natural deaths in the medicolegal population.

Class 2 Sudden Death

Deaths where advanced disease sufficient for death is present, though structural changes are not necessarily inconsistent with life; accounts for $90\%$ of natural deaths.

Class 3 Sudden Death

Deaths where a disease with lethal potential is present but not sufficiently advanced to be a certain cause of death without a compelling history and exclusion of other causes.

Class 4 Sudden Death

Deaths in which lethal structural findings are not readily demonstrable at autopsy, such as epilepsy.

Class 5 Sudden Death

Cases where the cause of death remains undetermined even after autopsy and toxicologic studies, with no evidence of unnatural causes.

Luetic aneurysms

Another term for syphilitic aortic aneurysms, which are a potential natural disease of the aorta leading to sudden death.

Epilepsy (Idiopathic)

A condition where the mechanism of sudden death is believed to be cardiac arrhythmia, often showing negative autopsy results with bite wounds to the tongue found in only $25\%$ of cases.

Berry aneurysms

Congenital intracranial aneurysms that are a primary cause of nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)

A CNS disorder where hypertension is the most common cause ($45\%$); usual sites include the basal ganglia, thalamus, pons, and cerebellum.

Amyloid angiopathy

A cause of ICH usually seen in older patients, most frequently occurring in the occipital cortex.

Lacunar infarcts

Small infarcts resulting from small vessel disease, usually caused by arteriosclerosis of small penetrating vessels within the basal ganglia or pons.

Global ischemia

A condition caused by a reduction in cerebral blood flow, resulting in widespread neuronal necrosis and potentially laminar cortical necrosis.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome

A condition characterized by petechial rash to confluent purpura, internal petechiae, and usually bilateral adrenal hemorrhage, often resulting from fulminant meningococcemia.

Acute epiglottitis

A condition where marked edema of the epiglottis and upper airway mucosa leads to mechanical obstruction; most commonly caused by $H. influenzae$.

Mallory-Weiss syndrome

Gastroesophageal lacerations caused by repeat, violent vomiting, which can result in massive hematemesis.

Addison's disease

Chronic adrenal insufficiency often due to an autoimmune process; at autopsy, adrenal glands appear markedly shrunken, atrophic, and may be reduced to fibrous strands.

Pheochromocytomas

Adrenal tumors that can cause sudden death due to a massive catecholamine release precipitated by minor trauma or abdominal manipulation.

Sickle cell trait

A condition associated with sudden death in young athletes where infection, hypoxia, or dehydration can precipitate sickling.