Description
This specimen shows a portion of the left ventricle, opened and mounted to display concentric
scarring in the central part of the muscle. The scarring extends through all of the exposed muscle.
The endocardium shows some pale areas, particularly beneath the aortic valve, and these may also
represent scarring. The valves are normal.
History
This man, who was a sickness beneficiary and possibly a chronic alcoholic, was found
collapsed, incoherent, but conscious. He died two days after admission to hospital. At autopsy, he
showed bronchopneumonia, which was the cause of death. The heart weighed 320 g. The coronary
arteries showed moderate atheroma, but no marked narrowing nor occlusion. The case notes of
his last admission show no evidence of cardiac failure. The aetiology of the scarring is obscure.