James T N, Zipes D P, Finegan R E, Eisele J W, Carter J E
Ann Intern Med. 1979 Nov;91(5):727-30. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-91-5-727.
In a postmortem study of the hearts of two young women who died suddenly and unexpectedly, we found a remarkably similar and distinctive ganglionitis, predominantly in the region of the sinus node. Both women had ventricular fibrillation at the time of collapse. Vesicular neuritis and older neural degeneration were present in other regions of the heart. Except for focal fibromuscular dysplasia of the sinus node artery and atrioventricular node artery of one heart, there was no other significant anatomic abnormality in either heart. The functional significance of this cardiac ganglionitis is unclear, but its location in and around the conduction system makes it a possible cause of the fatal electrical instability. Recognition that ganglionitis of the heart may be associated with sudden death should stimulate a number of additionally useful studies.
在对两名突然意外死亡的年轻女性心脏进行的尸检研究中，我们发现了一种非常相似且独特的神经节炎，主要位于窦房结区域。两名女性在心脏骤停时均发生心室颤动。心脏其他区域存在水疱性神经炎和陈旧性神经退变。除了一颗心脏的窦房结动脉和房室结动脉存在局灶性纤维肌发育异常外，两颗心脏均无其他明显的解剖学异常。这种心脏神经节炎的功能意义尚不清楚，但其在传导系统及其周围的位置使其成为致命性电不稳定的一个可能原因。认识到心脏神经节炎可能与猝死有关，应该会激发一些其他有用的研究。
