Suicides Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Medical Examiner Reports in the Special Wards of Tokyo, Japan, 2009-2018.

Purpose: We aimed to report the occurrence of suicide death and to reveal the characteristics among LGBT people in the special wards of Tokyo. Methods: All suicide deaths between 2009 and 2018 were identified from the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office database, and the characteristics were compared between LGBT people and non-LGBT people by retrospective review of the medical examiner reports. Results: Among 17,638 people who died by suicide, 84 (0.5%) were identified as LGBT people, of which a large proportion was gay males (51.2%) and transgender people (42.9%). Smaller proportions of lesbian (3.6%) and bisexual (2.4%) females were identified. Compared with suicides among non-LGBT people, there were several differences in the circumstances surrounding suicides among LGBT people, namely method of suicide, source of income, and number of household members (transgender people), and toxic substance in poisoning and medical history (gay males). Conclusions: The results tentatively suggest the risk or supportive factors that should be considered for preventing suicides among LGBT people; however, the present data are likely to be underestimated. To better understand suicides among LGBT people, systematic efforts to collect sexual orientation and gender identity data for suicide are needed.

Association between sudden unexpected deaths in bathtubs and ambient temperature among elderly Japanese adults: A time-series regression study.

BACKGROUND: Sudden unexpected deaths in bathtubs among elderly Japanese adults occur predominantly during the cold season. This study investigated the relationship between these deaths and bathing day temperature among elderly adults in Tokyo. METHODS: Data for 1408 cases of bath-related deaths from January 1 to December 31, 2015 were obtained from the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office. We excluded 409 cases for the following reasons: criminal death, injury-related death, suicide, intoxication, non-sudden death, not bathtub-related death, out-of-bathroom death, subject aged under 65 years, undetermined bathing date, institutional housing, and bathing not at subject's home. Ultimately, 999 cases were analyzed. Daily mean temperature data were collected. A time-series regression study was performed to estimate the influence of sex, age, and bathing day temperature. Monthly changes in the population bathing in a bathtub were considered in the model. RESULTS: The relative risk (RR) of sudden unexpected death in a bathtub was 1.381 for males (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.218-1.564) compared to females. The RRs were 4.182 (95% CI: 3.523-4.986) and 9.382 (95% CI: 7.836-11.273) among those aged 75-84 years and ≥85 years, respectively, compared to among those aged 65-74 years. The RR increased to 1.092 (95% CI: 1.082-1.102) as the daily mean temperature decreased by 1 °C. CONCLUSION: Sudden unexpected death in a bathtub correlated with bathing day temperature among elderly Japanese adults, and extremely low temperature, male sex, and older age increased the risk of such death. Our findings provide insight into preventing sudden unexpected deaths in bathtubs.

The demographic characteristics of medicolegal death among welfare recipients in Tokyo Metropolis (2008-2013).

Background The number of welfare recipients has steadily increased in Japan during recent years, although the number of homeless persons has decreased. Despite there being many reports regarding medicolegal death among homeless persons, medicolegal death among welfare recipients has not been fully investigated. Methods We identified 10,293 individuals who received welfare aid during their lifetime among the 81,867 cases that were examined by the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office (2008-2013). We retrospectively compared the proportions of medicolegal death to total population, age, sex, family status, clinical history, and manners/causes of death among non-indigent persons (controls), homeless persons, and welfare recipients. Results A higher proportion of medicolegal death to total population was observed among the welfare recipients, compared with the controls. The welfare recipients (65.5 years) were younger than the controls (68.9 years), and the proportions of male sex and living alone were higher among the welfare recipients. Hypertension and circulatory disease were the leading clinical conditions among the welfare recipients. Death due to disease was the leading manner of death, and circulatory disease was the leading cause of death among the welfare recipients. The proportion of individuals with a long period between death and discovery (which made determining the cause of death difficult) was also higher among the welfare recipients. Conclusion Welfare recipients have a greater risk of sudden death compared with non-indigent persons. Preventive strategies should target middle-aged to elderly men who live alone, and should address their risks of circulatory diseases and solitary death.

Characteristics of cancer patients who died by suicide in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sociodemographic characteristics of cancer patients who died by suicide in comparison with cancer-free cases. Suicide data from the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office from 2009 to 2013 were extracted retrospectively. A total of 503 (5.1%) out of 9841 people who committed suicide had cancer; age ranged from 26 to 97 years. The cancer patients were significantly older than the cancer-free cases. There were significantly more cancer patients with cohabiters than cancer-free cases with cohabiters. Only half of young to middle-aged subjects had a job in both groups. There were significantly more cancer patients who lived on pensions and welfare assistance, and less cancer patients who drink or smoke than those without cancer. Given the high incidence of suicide in elderly cancer patients, healthcare professionals should pay attention for risk even in cancer patients who have cohabiters, benefit from a pension, and do not drink or smoke.

A forensic autopsy case of death from laryngeal stenosis due to a late complication of radiotherapy.

Irradiation is one of the standard modalities of treatment for neck cancer; however, it occasionally causes severe late complications. Here, we report an autopsy case of a death from laryngeal stenosis due to a late complication of radiotherapy. A man in his 70s who underwent radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer 6months before death was found dead in his home. Complete regression of the cancer was obtained after treatment, and signs suggestive of cancer recurrence were not evident before his death. Postmortem computed tomography showed severe narrowing of the upper airway due to glottic tissue swelling. The autopsy revealed an edematous epiglottis and supraglottic-glottic tissue with an ulcerative lesion, which severely narrowed the upper airway. Histopathological findings showed edema, hyalinization, and a proliferation of granulation tissue at the affected site. Neither a gross recurrence of cancer or finding suggestive of infection was observed in the specimen. This case is instructive to forensic pathologists regarding noting a radiotherapy complication as one of the possible causes of sudden death when the decedent previously underwent radiotherapy for neck cancer, and stresses the importance of detailed history taking and careful examination of the neck organs.

[Identification of Psychotropic Drugs Attributed to Fatal Overdose--A Case-control Study by Data from the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office and Prescriptions].

Drug overdose is a serious public health issue and fatal cases have been reported from various fields of medicine. This case-control analysis assessed the comparison between fatal overdose cases in the special wards of Tokyo Metropolitan area and prescribed psychotropic drugs in Tokyo in 2009-2010. It was suggested that the prescribed drugs serve as a direct cause of death in overdose cases. Furthermore, pentobarbital calcium, chlorpromazine-promethazine-phenobarbital, levomepromazine and flunitrazepam were identified as drugs with a high risk of fatal overdose. It is encouraged to prudently verify the intended application and usage of such psychotropic drugs in each case upon their prescription. This is the first study in Japan to identify psychotropic drugs with a high risk of fatal overdose by case-control study.

Postmortem Computed Tomography Findings Associated with Sudden Death in Alcoholics.

Forensic pathologists.frequently encounter sudden natural.death of alcoholic in which fatty liver is the only pathological finding detected at autopsy, however, characteristics of postmortem CT (PMCT) of sudden death of alcoholic have not been reported so far. In this study, we investigated radiographic measurements of PMCT of the cases diagnosed as sudden death of alcoholic (ALC), and compared them with those of other causes of death (IHD; ischemic heart disease, SV; starvation), with reference to autopsy findings. The cardio-thoracic ratio, the cross-sectional area of the inferior vena cava and the radio density of the lungs of ALC on PMCT were significantly lower than those of IHD, and tended to be midway between IHD and SV. These findings were in parallel with the total heart blood volume at autopsy and the extent of lung edema on histopathological findings. In addition, the radiodensity of the liver of ALC was significantly lower than the other groups, which was in parallel with the extent of fatty deposit in the hepatocytes on histopathology. More than 60% of ALC cases showed BMI < 18.0, and acetone was detected in blood in 87.5% of ALC cases. The lower radiodensity of the liver, and lack of signs suggestive of significant pulmonary edema and congestion in the great vessels, on PMCT, are considered to mirror terminal pathophysiology of sudden death of alcoholic, such as severe fatty liver- disease and metabolic disturbance (e.g., concomitant volume depletion with alcoholic ketoacidosis). Utilization of these findings on PMCT may serve to discern sudden death of alcoholic from other causes of death, in combination with detailed scene investigation, pathological, toxicological and biochemical analysis.

Epidemiology of Alcohol-related Death while Bathing in a Bathtub.

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol consumption before bathing is listed as a risk factor for sudden death in a bathtub, which occurs relatively frequently in Japan. This study aimed to clarify the epidemiology of alcohol-related deaths in bathtubs. SUBJECTS: Among all autopsy cases that were performed at the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office between 2009 and 2010 (N = 5635), 357 cases of death in a bathtub were evaluated. Data regarding age, sex, blood ethanol level, manner and. cause .of death, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related gastrointestinal diseases were extracted. The cases were divided into three groups according to their blood ethanol levels (no blood ethanol, low ethanol, and high ethanol), and their data were compared. RESULTS: A large majority of the cases in all groups involved persons who were 50-89 years old. The mean age of the high ethanol group (61.7 years) was significantly lower than.that of the control group (71.1 years; P < 0.01). In addition, the proportion of men was significantly higher in the low and high ethanol groups (70.1% and 75.5%, respectively), compared to that in the control group (55.9%; P < 0.05). Daily alcohol consumption was significantly more common in the low and high ethanol groups (49.5% and 87.8%, respectively), compared to that in the control group (23.2%; P < 0.01). Furthermore, alcohol-related gastrointestinal diseases were more common in the low and high ethanol groups (26.8% and 63.3%, respectively), compared to that in the control group (4.3%; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Preventive strategies for reducing alcohol-related deaths in bathtubs should target male habitual drinkers (middle-aged to seniors), especially patients who have been diagnosed with alcohol-related diseases.

Characteristics of sudden bath-related death investigated by medical examiners in Tokyo, Japan.

BACKGROUND: Sudden bath-related deaths occur frequently in Japan, particularly among elderly people. However, the precise mechanism of bath-related death remains uncertain, and effective prevention strategies have not been established. METHODS: Cases of bath-related deaths (n = 3289) were selected from all cases handled by the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office from 2009 to 2011 (N = 41 336). The ages and occurrence dates were examined, and major autopsy findings, including toxicological analysis, were evaluated for the autopsied cases (n = 550). RESULTS: Most cases occurred in individuals older than 60 years of age during winter. Analysis of autopsy findings revealed water inhalation signs in many cases (n = 435, 79.1%). Circulatory system diseases constituted more than half of the pathological findings regarding factors that may have contributed significantly to death (n = 300, 54.5%), and cardiac lesions were the most common pathological finding (n = 250, 45.5%). However, approximately one-third of the cases exhibited no remarkable pathological findings (n = 198, 36.0%). A quarter of all cases involved blood ethanol levels that exceeded 0.5 mg/mL (n = 140). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that drowning plays an important role in the final process of bath-related death. Circulatory system diseases may be the primary underlying pathology; however, there were variations in the medical histories and pathologies of cases of bath-related death. From a preventive perspective, family members should pay attention to elderly people with circulatory system diseases during bathing, particularly in winter. Additionally, the notion that ill or inebriated individuals should not take baths should be reinforced.

Child deaths from injury in the special wards of Tokyo, Japan (2006-2010): a descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: There has been increasing interest in the formal review of child deaths in Japan. In this study we examined the causes and scene information regarding child deaths from injury in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, as preparation for implementation of a full-scale review of child deaths. METHODS: Documents on deaths from injury (excluding homicides) investigated by the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office during the period from 2006 through 2010 were reviewed. Deaths of children younger than 18 years (N = 217) were selected as the study sample. We examined the cause of and information on the death and were particularly interested in whether a case had preventable factors. RESULTS: Overall, 67% of the cases were deaths from unintentional injury. The main cause of death among children younger than 1 year was asphyxia, and the proportions of deaths from traffic accidents were higher in older age groups. Thirty percent of deaths from injury were due to suicide, and all cases of suicide were among children older than 10 years. Although analysis of preventable factors was difficult in some cases, owing to limited information on the death scene, 87% of deaths from unintentional injury, excluding those involving traffic accidents, had preventable factors. CONCLUSIONS: Most unintentional child deaths from injury appear to be preventable. Development of a system to collect detailed information on the scene at the time of death will help decrease child deaths in Japan.

Characteristics of sudden unexpected cancer deaths investigated by medical examiners in Tokyo, Japan (2009).

BACKGROUND: Annually, about 400 cases of sudden unexpected death are attributed to cancer in Tokyo, Japan. These individuals may have been undiagnosed, or their medical conditions may not have been carefully evaluated before death. We examined medical consultations, cancer diagnoses, and economic status of all cancer deaths investigated by medical examiners in 2009. METHODS: Among cases handled by the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office in 2009 (N = 12 493), records for all cases of cancer death (n = 400) were reviewed to determine the extent of medical care provided, diagnosis before death, and economic status of the decedent. RESULTS: Most of the decedents (n = 232; 58%) had received a diagnosis of terminal/advanced cancer during a medical consultation. Most did not receive such medical consultations at home, despite their very weak physical condition. However, nearly one quarter of decedents (24%; 95/400) had not received a cancer diagnosis before death. The proportions of decedents who had been indigent, received no medical consulting, and had colon cancer were significantly higher among undiagnosed cases than among diagnosed cases. Indigent persons were the largest subgroup (n = 19; 43%) among those who had never received a medical consultation (n = 44). In addition, the proportion of those who had discontinued or received no medical consultation was higher among indigent persons than among non-indigent persons. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of medical services for cancer patients could be improved by educating general practitioners about terminal care, expanding efforts to monitor and diagnose cancer, especially among indigent patients, and increasing participation rates for colorectal cancer screening.

Characteristics of caffeine intoxication-related death in Tokyo, Japan, between 2008 and 2013.

OBJECTIVES: Caffeine is widely available in beverages and over-the-counter products; however, in large doses, it can lead to lethal arrhythmia. This study aims to clarify the characteristics of caffeine intoxication-related deaths in Tokyo, Japan. SUBJECTS: Among the 4754 forensic autopsy cases between 2008 and 2013 in which a toxicological investigation was performed, cases in which the blood concentration of caffeine exceeded toxic levels (15 µg/ml) were selected (N = 22). We examined subjects' ages, medical histories, direct/underlying causes of death, and manner of death. We also assessed concurrent drug substance detection and identified the origin of the caffeine. RESULTS: More than 60% of the subjects were between the ages of 20 and 49 years (n = 14, 63.6%). Sixteen cases (72.7%) showed a history of psychiatric diseases such as depression and sleep disorders. The underlying cause of death for all cases except two was caffeine intoxication, and manner of death was classified as undetermined (n = 11), accidental (n = 7), suicide (n = 2), or others (n = 2). Toxicological analysis revealed the presence of ingredients common to analgesics/cold remedies in 12 cases (54.5%). The origin of the caffeine was identified in 11 cases (50.0%); the proportion of identification was significantly lower among the cases in which analgesic/cold remedy ingredients were not detected (20.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Caffeine intoxication-related deaths mainly occurred in young and middle-aged persons with common psychiatric diseases. Psychiatrists should take note of caffeine dependence while diagnosing common psychiatric symptoms. In half of the cases, the origin of the caffeine was unidentified; nevertheless, dietary sources or over-the-counter drugs containing caffeine were suspected. As it becomes easier to obtain caffeinated products, continuous monitoring of the number of deaths from caffeine intoxication, in addition to detailed investigations of the caffeine's origin, will be necessary.

Causes of death in forensic autopsy cases of malnourished persons.

PURPOSE: Medical examiners and forensic pathologists often encounter emaciated bodies in postmortem examinations. However, the main disease that caused death is often not clear and measures to prevent the unexpected death of malnourished persons have not been established. In this study, we examined the underlying causes of death among a large number of forensic autopsy cases that showed emaciation to clarify the features of sudden, unexpected death in malnourished persons. METHODS: Documents of autopsy cases without putrefaction handled during 2007-2010 by the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office were reviewed (n=7227). The body mass index (BMI) was calculated for each case. The causes of death for cases with severe malnutrition (BMI<16; n=885) were closely examined. RESULTS: About 70% of all deaths in malnourished cases (BMI<16) was due to disease, and the causative diseases are more varied than in those with less severe malnutrition and those without malnutrition (BMI⩾16). A higher proportion of malnutrition as the cause of death was observed in younger persons for both sexes, and a higher proportion of having a history of psychiatric diseases was observed in younger deceased women. In addition, a higher proportion of alcohol-related digestive diseases was observed especially in younger men, some of whom had a history of alcohol dependence. On the other hand, the proportion of organic diseases, such as neoplasms and gastroduodenal ulcer, was higher in older deceased persons, especially among men. Around 70% of all respiratory diseases comprised pneumonia in both sexes. Among non-disease-related causes of death, poisoning was the most frequent cause in women under 55years old (35.3%), with the majority having had a history of psychiatric disease. CONCLUSIONS: Because autopsy cases of malnourished persons show various causes of death, physicians have to pay more attention in making death diagnosis in such cases. From a preventative point of view, early detection of organic diseases, a better approach toward managing psychiatric diseases, and implementation of vaccination for pneumonia will contribute to reduction of future unexpected deaths among malnourished persons.

Medicolegal death of homeless persons in Tokyo Metropolis over 12 years (1999-2010).

BACKGROUND: Recently, the number of homeless persons in Japan has steadily decreased. However, it is not certain whether unexpected death of the homeless have actually decreased in proportion to decrease in total number of cases. METHODS: The documentation of medicolegal deaths among homeless persons handled in the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office during 1999-2010 were reviewed, and we compared the number and manner/cause of death between cases occurring before 2004 and those occurring after 2004. In addition, we compared manner/cause of death between homeless and non-homeless persons. RESULTS: The number of medicolegal deaths of homeless persons remained almost the same during the study period in spite of a marked decrease in the total number of homeless persons after 2004. Age distribution shifted to older after 2004, and a higher proportion of the deceased had longer postmortem periods after 2004. Comparison between the manners/causes of death of the cases occurring before 2004 and those occurring after 2004 showed little difference. Disease constituted about 70% of all cases, and causes of death from disease were more various than those of non-homeless persons. Certain specific patterns included a higher proportion of death from circulatory disease in elderly homeless persons and a higher proportion of death from alcohol-related digestive disease and tuberculosis among younger homeless persons. Regarding accidental death, hypothermia was a leading cause of death irrespective of age group. CONCLUSION: Aging and isolation among homeless persons might contribute to an unchanged number of medicolegal death of them. In addition to measures to address frequent causes of death in each age group, better intervention for isolated homeless persons might be a key factor to prevent unexpected deaths of homeless persons in the future.

Medicolegal death diagnosis in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan (2010): comparison of the results of death inquests by medical examiners and medical practitioners.

PURPOSE: Japanese methods of death inquests are still in developmental stages and many problems have been uncovered since an inspection error was reported in 2007. In this study, we investigated the latest results of medicolegal deaths in the Tokyo Metropolis, which is composed of areas with and without the medical examiner system, and compared the results of inquests performed by official medical examiners with those by medical practitioners to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the medical examiner system for the Japanese death inquiry system. METHODS: By using death certificates as inquest records in the Tokyo Metropolis, 2010, we made a comparison of the autopsy rates, causes of death and the numbers of death certificates containing defects between the inquests performed by official medical examiners and those by medical practitioners. RESULTS: Age distributions and male to female ratios were not different between the two groups. The autopsy rate of the medical practitioners' cases was only 5.5%, whereas that of official medical examiners' cases was 21%. The proportion of deaths due to circulatory system disease was higher in medical practitioners' cases than in official medical examiners' cases (P<0.01), and the proportion of deaths from cerebrovascular disease in medical practitioners cases was twice as high as that in official medical examiners' cases. The number of ambiguous causes of death, such as unspecific heart failure and arrhythmia, certified without autopsies was much higher in medical practitioners' cases than in official medical examiners' cases. For accidental deaths, the proportion of deaths by poisoning and heatstroke was lower in medical practitioners' cases than in medical examiners' cases (P<0.01). The proportion of death certificates containing defects was much higher in medical practitioners' cases (24.1%), especially in the rural areas (45.4%), as compared to official medical examiners' cases (1.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The lower autopsy rate and the higher frequency of defects in death certificates in medical practitioner's cases likely led to the differences in the mortality statistics between the two groups. On the other hand, the medical examiner system leaves room for further improvement, such as in the autopsy rate. This study supports the necessity for implementation and improvement of the medical examiner system, and for reinforcement of under/postgraduate medicolegal education in Japan.

Pulmonary thromboembolism: overview and update from medicolegal aspects.

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) has recently been the focus of research, with special attention to its clinical and medicolegal aspects. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is an important embolic source of PTE. We review the epidemiology, autopsy findings, pathophysiology, and clinical issues related to PTE and DVT in Japan based on our autopsy cases at the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office.

Significance of the soleal vein and its drainage veins in cases of massive pulmonary thromboembolism.

In this report, we review the anatomical features of the crural veins and the importance of the soleal vein and its drainage veins for thrombi formation and propagation. The result of our investigation of 120 legs of 60 autopsy cases with fatal pulmonary thromboembolism showed that the soleal vein was the most frequent site of deep vein thrombosis, both for fresh and for organized thrombi. Furthermore, the detection rate of thrombi, both fresh and organized, showed that the most common site was in the soleal vein and then decreased progressively according to the drainage route of the soleal vein. Anatomical characteristics and physiological mechanisms play a major role in the occurrence and propagation of venous thrombi. Thus, an understanding of these features is essential for effective prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism.

[Possible influence of psychotropic drugs detected in blood when determining the cause of death in medicolegal autopsy cases in the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office].

We reviewed the records of 118 medicolegal autopsy cases, in which psychotropic drugs were detected in blood, in the Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office in 1997, to explore how the drug levels were considered in determining the cause of death. Names and doses of the drugs were clear in 70 of 118 cases, and in most cases of the 70 cases, multiple drugs (up to 13 drugs) were prescribed to a person. It was also evident that 75 of the 118 cases had demonstrated psychosis for several months to 38 years prior to death. No information concerning prescriptions or history of psychosis could be obtained in the other cases. The causes of death in these 118 cases were as follows: deaths from specific diseases, 30 cases (25.4%); deaths from extrinsic factors excluding drug intoxication, 22 cases (18.6%); suicide related to drug intoxication, 31 cases (26.3%); deaths from extrinsic factors related to drug intoxication suggestive of suicide, but not confirmed, 19 cases (16.1%); non-suicide, including probable drug intoxication, 13 cases (11.0%); and deaths from malignant syndrome, 3 cases (2.5%). There were cases diagnosed as death from specific diseases based on morphological findings, though drug concentrations in blood were at a toxic or even lethal level. In some cases, drug intoxication was suspected, but drug levels in their blood were at a therapeutic level and there were no identifiable morphological changes directly associated with deaths, resulting in a cause of death other than drug intoxication being indicated. Thus, drug levels detected in the cadaver's blood are not always useful for determining the cause of death. This might be due to poor information on interactions between drugs (including alcohol), pathological changes or genetic variability of drug metabolism and excretion, and so on. Thus, further studies of these aspects are needed in order to make information on drugs detected in the cadaver more useful for determination of cause of death.

Histopathological study of pulmonary arteries in 14 autopsy cases with massive pulmonary thromboembolism.

As the pathological features of acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) remain unclear, early diagnosis is difficult. We examined 14 autopsy cases of sudden death by massive PTE. Eight cases were male and six female, with a mean age of 57+/-18 years. While none of the cases were diagnosed with PTE during their lifetime, 12 cases had predicting factors for thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis was found at autopsy in 11 cases. Cross sections of each segmental pulmonary artery were dissected for histological examination. The distribution of fresh thrombi and organized thrombi in the pulmonary arteries was investigated. Results revealed that 13 cases contained both fresh and organized thrombi. More detailed examination indicated that as the organized thrombi were spread in all lobes, the distribution of thrombi extended from the proximal to peripheral arteries. Our findings indicated that most cases of fatal PTE had a subclinical recurrent history. Thus, proper diagnosis and treatment of prior emboli may be vital for the prophylaxis of sudden death by PTE.