Congenital defect of the pericardium.

The morbid anatomy and histopathology is described as found at necropsy on a 7-year-old coloured girl who suffered from partial defect of the pericardium with prolapse and partial incarceration of the cardiac apex. Because of the absence of any history of illness during life the defect is considered to have been congenital, and because of the lack of any other significant necropsy findings, it is considered to have been the cause of death.