Enlarge Descriptive Card Log Book Entry
Rodin Number: 34
E Number: 53
Donor: Osler
Date: unknown
Size (H x W cm): 11.5 x 7.5
The specimen shows three normal aortic valve leaflets behind which are two aneurysms of the sinuses of Valsalva. The larger apparently ruptured into pericardium (arrow on a lateral view (A)) and caused sudden death.
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Comment
Clinical details are not available. According to the descriptive card, the cause of the aneurysms was syphilis; however, the virtually normal aortic intima above the aneurysms suggests that this is unlikely and that it was instead a congenital anomoly or a manifestation of an inherited connective tissue abnormality.
Among the eleven specimens of aortic aneurysm in the Osler collection, syphilis is implicated in the pathogenesis in six. It is uncertain if this pathogenesis was indicated by Osler or by the individual who wrote the descriptive card. In his 1909 lecture on the subject (the Schorstein lecture), Osler discusses the gross and microscopic characteristics of the disease as well as his concept of its pathogenesis. In this, he refers to a specimen he had seen at the McGill Museum which had been reported by John McCrae (J Path Bact 1905, 10: 373 – 379). (The specimen has unfortunately been destroyed). He does not refer to any specimen in the current collection. Although some of the patients whose specimens do remain undoubtedly had a history of syphilis, the pathologic appearance is not always convincing of this as the etiology of the disease, as in specimen 30.