Isolated Right Ventricular Non-compaction as a Cause of Death in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome

Introduction/Objective We report the case of a 32-year-old white male with a past medical history of bipolar disorder, autistic spectrum disorder, and Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS), who was admitted to the ED with cardiac arrest. Resuscitative efforts were unsuccessful. The autopsy revealed an isolated right ventricular non-compaction. Methods The non-compaction of the ventricular myocardium is a type of cardiomyopathy caused by aberrant embryogenesis, often presenting with other congenital cardiac defects, especially in syndromic patients. Such is the case with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, in which multiple cardiac anomalies are commonly seen. However, only a few cases of ventricular non-compaction were reported for patients with CdLS. To our knowledge, this is the first case of CdLS with death attributed to the isolated right ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy. Results CdLS is characterized by intellectual disability, distinctive facial features, growth retardation, hirsutism, and malformation of multiple organ systems. In general, ventricular non-compaction is defined by the persistence of deep intertrabecular recesses that communicate with both the ventricular cavity and the coronary circulation. The two main diagnostic criteria include the absence of well-formed papillary muscles and more than 50% penetration of invaginated endocardial recesses toward the epicardial surface. Additional features include the presence of staghorn shaped endocardial recesses, endomyocardial thickening, and endocardial fibrosis. Clinical diagnosis is based on ECG, echocardiography, and ventricular angiography. Magnetic resonance imaging is also helpful in providing a good correlation with echocardiogram for localization and the extent of non-compaction. Conclusion In the general population, the non-compaction involves the left ventricle predominantly. The prevalence of iRVNC remains underestimated, and although echocardiography can aid in the diagnosis, the morphological assessment of RV continues to be difficult and challenging. Pathologists should be aware of non-compaction as a cause of sudden cardiac death in syndromic and non-syndromic patients when performing autopsies.

Non-infectious aortic and mitral valve vegetations in a patient with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare form of vasculitis characterised by atopic manifestations, inflammation of small-sized to medium-sized arteries and veins, hypereosinophilia and tissue infiltration with eosinophils. Cardiac complications occur most commonly in the absence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Cardiac complications include coronary arteritis (rare), pericarditis, myocarditis, endocardial fibrosis (Loeffler’s endocarditis) and intracavitary thrombosis of the left or right ventricle. This is the first reported case of large non-infectious valvular vegetations associated with EGPA.

Complex right atrial mass in endomyocardial fibrosis: a diagnostic dilemma

Endomyocardial fibrosis, though a vanishing disease from India, remains an important cause of heart failure in children, adolescents and young adults. It may be complicated with arrhythmias and thromboembolism and is an important cause of mortality and morbidity. Moreover, usual presentation of this condition is in advanced stage with poor prognosis. Ventricular endocardial fibrosis with organised thrombus is the hall mark of this entity. Presence of associated cardiac mass poses a diagnostic challenge. We present one such case of endomyocardial fibrosis, in which a large thrombus was seen adherent to the anterolateral wall of right atrium, posing further risk of thromboembolism with complex management issues.

An Unusual Case of Recurrent Loffler Endomyocarditis of the Aortic Valve

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is a rare systemic disease with an unexplained elevated eosinophil count. Loffler endomyocarditis is hypereosinophilic syndrome with endocardial fibrosis and restrictive cardiomyopathy. The atrioventricular valves are frequently involved, causing valvular regurgitation. Previously, there has been one case report of combined aortic and mitral valve involvement with Loffler endomyocarditis that was treated with bivalvular replacement. We describe a previously healthy 50-year-old man diagnosed with Loffler endomyocarditis complicated by peripheral thromboembolism and severe aortic regurgitation due to valve fibrosis and fibrotic vegetation on the aortic valve. He underwent embolectomy and aortic valve replacement in addition to treatment for his hypereosinophilia. He later presented with cardiomyopathy with severe aortic insufficiency due to the destruction of the aortic valve prosthesis by sterile fibrinous vegetation. To our knowledge, this is the second case in the literature in which Loffler endomyocarditis involves the aortic valve and the first patient in whom only the aortic valve is involved.