Histopathological findings of cardiac conduction system of 150 Finns

One hundred and fifty heart specimens were collected from the cases submitt ed for autopsy in the Department of Forensic Medicine in the University of Turku in March-May 1995 and May-July 1996, respectively. The cardiac conduc tion system (CCS) of these hearts were examined in order to find out the hi stopathological changes in the CCS of Finnish persons and their forensic pa thological significance. There were 94 males and 56 females. Almost all age groups were included. The results revealed that in most of the persons the fibrous tissue and fatty tissue in the CCS increased with aging. In about half of the persons, there was deposition of calcium in the central fibrous body, pars membranacea, and the top of the musculature in the interventric ular sept-um. In seven cases, the atrioventricular node (AVN), His bundle ( HB) or bundle branches (RBB, LBB) were compressed by the calcium deposition . Hemorrhage, inflammation, amyloidosis, tumor, fatty infiltration and deve lopmental malformations were observed in 31 cases. Twenty-eight cases died of myocardial infarct, among them, no involvement of the CCS could be obser ved. The authors concluded that routine examination of the CCS is helpful f or revealing diseases of the CCS and improving the quality of forensic path ological diagnosis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reser ved.