Korean J Leg Med.  2010 May;34(1):38-42.

A Sudden Unexpected Death in an Epileptic with Cerebral Cavernous Angioma

• Park JP
• Kwon T
• Kim YH
• Kim HJ

Abstract

Cerebral cavernous angioma is a rare form of vascular malformations which is histologically composed of closely-packed, thin-walled blood vessels without neural tissue intervened. One of the most common symptoms is seizure, which is usually well-controlled by medication or surgery and known to be rarely intractable or fatal. Because sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy patients reveals generally its unclear death mechanism and negative autopsy finding in forensic pathology practice, particular attention should be paid. We recently experienced an autopsy case of 32-year-old woman who had suffered from epilepsy and showed cerebral cavernous angioma on autopsy. We report this case with literature review.

Keyword

epilepsy; sudden; death; central nervous system; cavernous; hemangioma

MeSH Terms

Adult
Autopsy
Blood Vessels
Caves
Central Nervous System
Epilepsy
Female
Forensic Pathology
Hemangioma
Hemangioma, Cavernous
Humans
Seizures
Vascular Malformations