Challenges in Diagnosing Sudden Death Caused by Acute Hemorrhagic Pancreatitis: An Autopsy-Based Case Report

Forensic pathologists frequently encounter cases of sudden natural death. Most sudden natural deaths are attributed to cardiac causes. Acute pancreatitis, especially hemorrhagic pancreatitis, is an infrequent yet critical contributor to sudden death. The role of a forensic pathologist is imperative...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCurēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 15; no. 11; p. e49500
Main Authors Navlani, Lakhan Lal, Verma, Arushi, Meshram, Raviprakash, Vaibhav, Vikas, Parate, Shailesh V
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Cureus Inc 27.11.2023
Cureus
Subjects
Alcohol
Autopsies
Case reports
Edema
Endocrinology/Diabetes/Metabolism
Enzymes
Forensic Medicine
Forensic pathology
Gallstones
Hemorrhage
Histopathology
Inflammation
Injuries
Investigations
Medical diagnosis
Mortality
Necrosis
Pancreas
Pancreatitis
Pathology
alcohol
sudden death
pancreatitis
pathophysiological insights
hemorrhagic
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Summary:Forensic pathologists frequently encounter cases of sudden natural death. Most sudden natural deaths are attributed to cardiac causes. Acute pancreatitis, especially hemorrhagic pancreatitis, is an infrequent yet critical contributor to sudden death. The role of a forensic pathologist is imperative in such cases to find out the cause of the sudden death and to either confirm or refute any allegations. In this context, we describe a case of a 34-year-old male who experienced sudden death due to acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis, highlighting the need for a detailed autopsy, pathophysiological insights, and diagnostic challenges.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.49500