Korean J Leg Med.  2006 Oct;30(2):193-197.

Sudden Death due to Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in Early Postpartum Period: a case report

• Huh GY
• Kim KH
• Ahn YW
• Lee SY

Abstract

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare disease that occurs most commonly in young people, especially in peripartum or postpartum women without traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease. We describe the case of a 30-year-old woman who suddenly died approximately 2 weeks postpartum period. She was otherwise healthy with no cardiac risk factors. On autopsy, the coronary artery showed 4cm long segment of dissection, starting from the left main artery to anterior descending branch. Microscopic finding of the dissection revealed a tear between tunica media and adventitia, creating an intramural hematoma. The left ventricle showed multifocal areas of acute myocardial infarction with reperfusion injury. SCAD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any young person sustaining an acute myocardial infarction, especially women in the postpartum state.

Keyword

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection; early postpartum period

MeSH Terms

Adult
Adventitia
Arteries
Autopsy
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Vessels*
Death, Sudden*
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Heart Ventricles
Hematoma
Humans
Myocardial Infarction
Peripartum Period
Postpartum Period*
Rare Diseases
Reperfusion Injury
Risk Factors
Tunica Media