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01-05-2008 | Case Report

Sudden death due to subarachnoid bleeding from ecchordosis physaliphora

Authors: T. Fracasso, B. Brinkmann, W. Paulus

Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine | Issue 3/2008

Abstract

Ecchordosis physaliphora (EP) is a rare intracranial mass derived from ectopic notochordal tissue. It is usually a fortuitous finding at autopsy or by computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging. Very few authors have described an EP-associated symptomatology. In this study, we report a case of the sudden and unexpected death of a 48-year-old woman. At autopsy, the cause of death was subarachnoid bleeding, the origin of which was identified as a gelatinous mass stemming from the dura mater and occupying the prepontine space. Further histological and immunohistochemical investigations allowed the diagnosis of EP.

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Title: Sudden death due to subarachnoid bleeding from ecchordosis physaliphora
Authors: T. Fracasso
B. Brinkmann
W. Paulus
Publication date: 01-05-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0937-9827
Electronic ISSN: 1437-1596
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-007-0192-4

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Sudden death due to subarachnoid bleeding from ecchordosis physaliphora

Abstract

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