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Calcified myocardial necrosis in pediatric patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation

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Abstract

We report three autopsy cases of wide-spread myocardial necrosis with calcification in pediatric patients after temporary generalized hypoxia and initially successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but subsequent in-hospital death. Autopsy and histological workup in all three cases showed multiple circumscribed calcified and necrotic areas in progressive stages of organization within the myocardium. We conclude that these macro- and microscopic autopsy features appear to be related to reperfusion injuries in children as a consequence of hypoxic-ischemic changes occurring in the peri- and postresuscitation period.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Paul Bedford for his contribution to the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Turmstr. 21, Building N, 10559, Berlin, Germany

    Claas T. Buschmann, Saskia S. Guddat & Michael Tsokos

  2. Department of Neuropathology, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Werner Stenzel, Hubert Martin & Frank L. Heppner

Authors
  1. Claas T. Buschmann
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  2. Werner Stenzel
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  3. Hubert Martin
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  4. Frank L. Heppner
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  5. Saskia S. Guddat
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  6. Michael Tsokos
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Correspondence to Claas T. Buschmann.

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Buschmann, C.T., Stenzel, W., Martin, H. et al. Calcified myocardial necrosis in pediatric patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 9, 543–550 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-012-9400-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-012-9400-8

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