Sudden deaths due to acute aortic wall failure: A 10-year forensic autopsy series

Figures

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  Figure 1. Histological section of the ascending aorta demonstrating medial separation accompanied by marked elastic fiber fragmentation and MEMA. These findings fulfill key SCVP criteria for advanced medial degeneration and illustrate the structural vulnerability underlying fatal AAWF. MEMA: Mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation; SCVP: Society for Cardiovascular Pathology; AAWF: Acute aortic wall failure.

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  Figure 2. Macroscopic image of the ascending aorta showing intramedial separation of the aortic wall layers with irregular intimal surface and underlying medial disorganization. These gross pathological features correspond to chronic degenerative changes of the aortic wall and provide macroscopic correlates to the histopathological findings defined by SCVP criteria. SCVP: Society for Cardiovascular Pathology.

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  Figure 3. Gross autopsy photograph of the ascending aorta demonstrating acute separation of medial layers consistent with aortic dissection. This image illustrates the spectrum of AAWF and supports the comparative pathological framework used to contextualize rupture and dissection phenotypes. AAWF: Acute aortic wall failure.