Crib Death

Crib death (SIDS) is the most frequent cause of death for infants during the first year, striking one out of every 700-1,000. Scarce knowledge in the field of SIDS and its pathology has led to a continued and growing concern with finding an explanation to enable either prediction or quick diagnosis of the infant or term fetus. A systematic study of the autonomic nervous system and cardiac system has been performed on a large number of infants and fetuses who died suddenly and unexpectedly, as well as in age-matched control cases. The neurological and cardiac findings are described here, and the relationship between SIDS and unexplained fetal death is discussed. This book helps pathologists, forensic pathologists, pediatricians, obstetrics, and neonatologists in recognizing all potential morphological substrata. It also puts forward a well-researched postmortem study for use in a standardized autopsy protocol for use in all cases of sudden unexpected infant and fetal death.

Introduction and Aims. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).- Sudden Intrauterine Unexplained Death (SIUD).- Cardiac Conduction System (CCS).- Central, peripheral and autonomic nercous systems.- Material and Methods: Clinical and Pathological Information Form.- Post Mortem Regulation on SIDS.- Necropsy Proedures.- Cardiac Sampling and Study of the Conduction System.- Brainstem Sampling and Inherent Techniques.- Study of the Carotid Bifurcation, Ganglia and Paraganglia.- Lung: Evaluation of the Development Stage.- Immunohistochemistry and Other Techniques.- Cases Analyzed.- Statistical Analysis. Results: Epidemiological Results.- Cardiac Conduction Findings.- Central Autonomic Nervous System Findings.- Peripheral Autonomic Nervous System Findings.-Discussion: Cardiac Conduction Pathology.- Neuropathology.- Conclusion.

From the reviews:

"This monograph is based on the author's PhD thesis defended in 2004 and more than a dozen original papers she wrote on the subject of sudden unexplained death in infants. ... This book is written for forensic and autopsy pathologists, neonatologists and other pediatricians, gynecologists, and public health workers. The secondary audience includes laboratory histotechnicians, pediatric nurses, medical students, and general medical practitioners ... . will be of interest to forensic and pediatric pathologists and all other medical and nonmedical professionals who deal with SIDS." (Ivan Damjanov, Doody's Review Service, January, 2008)

"This concise monograph is an overview of the multiple hypotheses and confirmatory pathological findings contributing to the multifactorial causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The book ... is nicely organized into logical sections on the basis of the differential potential mechanisms of SIDS/crib death. ... the histopathological illustrations are beautiful and are the main strengths of this book. ... This book should be a valuable addition to the libraries of those interested in reviewing the heterogeneous pathophysiology of crib death." (Charles I. Berul, Circulation, Vol. 117, 2008)

"The book details the anatomy, physiology, pathology, and autopsy dissection techniques of the cardiac conducting system and the autonomic nervous system. ... Readers of JAMA who have to deal with such fatalities, especially pediatricians and pediatric (and forensic) pathologists, should add Ottaviani's book ... ." (Syed A. Hoda and Brian D. Robinson, JAMA, Vol. 299 (9), 2008)