Received: November 29, 2005
Accepted: December 1, 2005
Ref:
Gungadin S. A Case of Café Coronary. Internet Journal of Medical Update 2006 Jan-Jun;1(1): http://www.akspublication.com/Poster.htm

A CASE OF CAFÉ CORONARY

Dr. Sudesh Gungadin MBBS, MD

Police Medical Division, Port Louis, Mauritius

(Corresponding Author: Dr S. Gungadin, Police Medical Officer, Police Medical Division, Port Louis, Mauritius, E-Mail: drsgungadin@yahoo.com)

INTRODUCTION

Food in the air passages needs special consideration, which may enter the larynx during swallowing and cause sudden unexpected death. The extreme sensitivity of larynx may cause vagal inhibition. 'Café Coronary' is the condition, where a person dies suddenly while eating a meal. I am presenting hereby a classical case of 'Café Coronary'.

CASE HISTORY

A well dressed dead body of 50 years old male is brought to mortuary for autopsy (Figure 1) with alleged history of leaving his residence at about 8:00am and found dead at a nearby road at 9:30am on the same day. He was a known case of carcinoma tongue.

AUTOPSY FINDINGS

Autopsy was conducted on the same day after police investigation. After removing his clothes, there were no signs of violence noted on the body (Figure 2). On dissection, a food bolus was found in the larynx (Figure 3 and 4). No significant sings of asphyxia were present. Laboratory investigations showed no abnormalities.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4