Idiopathic systemic granulomatous pathology causing sudden death due to myocarditis: a rare case report

Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2015 Jan-Mar;58(1):99-101. doi: 10.4103/0377-4929.151201.

Abstract

Idiopathic granulomatous myocarditis is extremely rare, particularly since the introduction of drugs effective against tuberculosis (TB), viruses, fungi and the effective treatment of sarcoidosis. Here is a case of a 65-year-old female prisoner having history of sudden collapse and ultimately death. Autopsy findings of various viscera on histopathological examination show granulomatous pathology, that is, in spleen, liver and in the left ventricular wall of heart. Ziehl-Neelsen staining of the sections show the absence of acid fast bacilli, negative for fungal staining as most of the granulomas are noncaseating type with presence of giant cells having no asteroid body and Schuamann body, real-time polymerase chain reaction for TB is negative. Idiopathic giant cell myocarditis is a disease of relatively young adults, that is, between 3 rd and 4 th decade of life. So, this case is strongly considered to be a case of sudden death due to myocarditis as a result of idiopathic systemic granulomatous pathology, a rare case in in literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Autopsy
  • Death, Sudden / etiology*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / complications*
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / diagnosis*
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / pathology
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Humans
  • Liver / pathology
  • Microscopy
  • Myocarditis / complications*
  • Myocarditis / diagnosis*
  • Myocarditis / pathology
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Spleen / pathology