Non-compact Cardiomyopathy: a rare pathology in Sri Lankan context

Introduction

Even though Cardiomyopathy is sometimes discovered during postmortem examinations of sudden deaths, Non- Compact Cardiomyopathy is very rarely found during medico-legal practice. Non-Compact cardiomyopathy (NCM) is a myocardial disorder, which is thought to occur due to the failure of left ventricle compaction during embryogenesis resulting two-layered ventricular wall, comprising a thinner compact epicardial layer and an inner non-compacted layer, with prominent trabeculations associated with deep, intertrabecular recesses that communicate with the ventricular cavity but not with the coronary circulation.

 

Case reports

The author had found only two cases during the 20 years of his carrier. They were 2 years and 3 years old children died on admission when brought to the hospital for treatments for difficulty in breathing. Postmortem examinations of both showed cardiomegaly and severe multiple trabeculations with deep intertrabecular recesses of the ventricular myocardium. Both had died due to heart failure due to Non-Compact Cardiomyopathy. Patients suffering from Non- Compact Cardiomyopathy can develop heart failure, arrhythmia or embolic phenomena at any age.

 

Conclusions

It is a rare cause of sudden death found in postmortem examinations especially in children.