FATAL CEREBRAL HAEMORRHAGE AT 34

Fatal cerebral haemorrhage in a hypertensive seven-year-old boy

A seven-year-old boy died from autopsy-proven brain haemorrhage due to hypertensive vasculopathy. This emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and therapy of hypertension in children. Brain haemorrhage is a potentially fatal complication of paediatric hypertension.

Leptospirosis complicated by fatal intracerebral haemorrhage.

Acute fatal haemorrhage during percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy.

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is associated with a number of life-threatening complications. We present a case of massive and fatal arterial haemorrhage that occurred in the intensive care unit during an elective PDT on an 86-year-old woman following earlier evacuation of a traumatic subdural haematoma. An avulsed right subclavian artery was found at post mortem. Previous thyroid...

Fatal retroperitoneal haemorrhage complicating anticoagulant therapy.

Eight cases are reported of extensive retroperitoneal haemorrhage in patients receiving anticoagulant therapy who subsequently died and underwent postmortem examination. No patient had an obvious source of bleeding, and in 5 cases no other cause for death was apparent. Three patients had had vascular surgical procedures: the other 5 were given anticoagulants for suspected venous thrombo-embolis...

Fatal intraperitoneal haemorrhage of hepatic origin.

Eight cases of fatal haemoperitoneum due to liver bleeding are reported. Two followed trauma (liver biopsy and cholecystectomy). The remaining six were spontaneous, 5 being due to malignant liver disease. The sixth case due to polycystic liver disease appears to be unique. The aetiology and importance of spontaneous hepatic bleeding is discussed.