Background The common causes of early postpartum maternal deaths are cardiomyopathies, obstetric hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and sepsis. However, a maternal death from choking together with aspiration of gastric contents is a rare occurrence to be diagnosed at the autopsy examination. Case presentation A 27-year-old previously healthy lady developed breathlessness 48 h after delivery, while on supine position, 1 h after meals, and pronounced death on admission. Autopsy was insignificant except for large amount of gastric contents in the air ways. Microscopic examination revealed bronchioles filled with eosinophilic materials and a significant number of neutrophil infiltrations at the margin. Alveoli were free from edema fluid and inflammatory cells. Some alveoli were expanded with broken septae. Cause of death was airway obstruction due to choking together with aspiration of gastric contents. Conclusions Aspiration of gastric contents can cause sudden unexpected death at postpartum, and it is recommended to educate immediate and early postpartum mothers regarding the risk of aspiration.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.