Ostial plication: A rarely reported cause of sudden death

Abstract

We report a rare case of ostial plication as a potential cause of sudden death. Very few reports and images are available in the specialized literature regarding this anomaly. Ostial plication may be a source of sudden death or cause of death when no other significant autopsy findings are present. Ostial plication is a congenital severe obstruction/occlusion of the right or left ostium. Plication of the aortic wall leads to a "valve-like" ridge that can act as a door blocking inflow during diastolic filling, with consequent ischemia and a potentially life-threatening arrhythmia. The true incidence of this condition and its relationship to sudden death have not been reported in the literature. We believe that this case will be useful to autopsy pathologists in detecting this infrequent anomaly, thus providing a more accurate estimation of its incidence. © 2010 De-Giorgio and Arena; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.