Fatal Massive Pulmonary Embolism Following a Minor Ankle Injury as a Rare Cause of Sudden Unexpected Death: A Case Report

Venous thromboembolism is a condition that includes both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism. Pulmonary thromboembolism is a condition that is familiar to forensic pathologists for its common cause of sudden unexpected death. Fatal pulmonary thromboembolism following deep vein thrombosis has been previously reported as a consequence of major ankle injury but not following minor ankle injury. Here, I report the case of sudden unexpected death in a 54-year-old female without known underlying risk factors for venous thromboembolism, except for a history of minor injury at her left ankle, which possibly caused local vascular wall damage with subsequent deep vein thrombosis and eventual massive pulmonary thromboembolism. (C) 2018 by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. All rights reserved.