[Difficulties in establishing the cause of sudden death of a 2-year-old child with thymus hyperplasia].

In the reported case the authors discuss the possible role of thymomegaly in the pathological mechanism of sudden death explaining the observed clinical changes (fainting and cardiac murmurs) as due to pressure exerted by the enlarged thymus on the heart and airways. Sudden death was preceded by ingestion of amidoquine tablet and slight trauma to the head.