1,721,061 research outputs found
Suicidal cut-throat and stab fatalities: Three case reports
No full textFatalities resulting from sharp force injuries may be of accidental, homicidal or suicidal origin. Cut-throat and cut-stab wounds are "effective" in homicidal attacks with sharp objects, e. g. knifes, while accidental injuries in this topographic region caused by sharp objects are rarely seen and most often caused by broken glass. Self-inflicted cut throat and stab wounds are uncommon but nevertheless a well recognized method of suicide. In these cases, presence or absence of particular features (e.g., hesitation marks, defensive wounds) can allow distinction between suicide and homicide, especially if further circumstances, i.e. atypical crime scene scenarios or missing suicide notes, need the forensic pathologist to have an incredulous approach regarding the manner of death. The present article describes three cases of suicidal cut throat and stab wounds - crime scene investigations as well as medical history and autopsy findings are discussed. © 2011 Romanian Society of Legal Medicine
Differential diagnosis on discolorations of the skin in a case of suspected positional asphyxia
No full textA 65-year-old man was found lifeless in his apartment, laying in a peculiar head-down position. His head was on the floor and his neck was over-flexed, with his trunk flexed on his neck. Examination of the body showed intense violet lividity of the head, torso and limbs, according to the position of the body. Moreover, diffuse hemorrhagic spots on the shoulders, upper part of the back and upper arms, along with an intense arch-shaped purple area on the anterior neck were detected at external examination. Suspicions of neck injuries due to strangulation and death due to positional asphyxia arose, but a thorough examination of circumstantial data and autopsy findings enabled a correct identification of cause and manner of death, and excluded strangulation and positional asphyxia as the cause of death. This case raises several issues on differential diagnosis and underlines the importance of a correct combined analysis of the findings provided by on-scene investigation and autopsy
Complex fracture patterns in hanging associated with a fall from height
No full textIn some rare cases of hanging, the so-called ‘hangman’s fracture’ is observed. This occurs when a fall from height is associated with hanging, e.g. capital executions. We describe the case of an 81-year-old man who committed suicide by jumping off a bridge, with a rope wrapped around his neck. The combination of hanging and falling caused a series of bone fractures to the cervical spine and the hyoid bone, leading to dislocation of the vertebral column and multiple bone fragments, producing peculiar patterns. Computed tomography also identified a transverse full-thickness fracture of the dens, which is a rare event. This case highlights specific injuries associated with the combination of hanging and falling, and underlines the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in terms of radiological examination and complete autopsy
Multidrug poisoning involving nicotine and tramadol
No full textA fatal case of multidrug poisoning by tramadol and nicotine is reported. Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic used in the treatment of moderate to severe acute or chronic pain. Nicotine, a lipid-soluble alkaloid, is one of the most readily available drugs in modern society. A 46-year-old man was found dead in his bed, and a suicide note was discovered near the body. He had 25 transdermal nicotine patches attached to his thorax and abdomen. Two half emptied bottles were found on the bedside table; the toxicological examination revealed that they contained tobacco and nicotine as well as other drugs such as diphenhydramine. At autopsy, areas of fresh and old myocardial infarction as well as diffuse pulmonary congestion and edema were present. The tramadol concentration was 6.6 μg/mL in femoral venous blood, while levels of nicotine and its primary metabolite cotinine were determined to be 0.6 and 2.0 μg/mL in femoral venous blood. Based on these results, we determined the cause of death to be cardiorespiratory failure induced by the additive effects of tramadol and nicotine shortly after consumption. © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Differentiation of human neuroblastoma recapitulates neural crest development: study of morphology neurotrasmitter enzymes and extracellular matrix proteins.
No full textEstimation of Late Postmortem Interval: Where Do We Stand? A Literature Review
Full text linkEstimating time since death can be challenging for forensic experts, and is one of the most challenging activities concerning the forensic world. Various methods have been assessed to calculate the postmortem interval on dead bodies in different stages of decomposition and are currently widely used. Nowadays, the only well-recognized dating technique is carbon-14 radioisotope measurement, whereas other methods have been tested throughout the years involving different disciplines with different and sometimes not univocal results. Today, there is no precise and secure method to precisely determine time since death, and late postmortem interval estimation remains one of the most debated topics in forensic pathology. Many proposed methods have shown promising results, and it is desirable that with further studies some of them might become acknowledged techniques to resolve such a difficult and important challenge. The present review aims at presenting studies about the different techniques that have been tested in order to find a valuable method for estimating time since death for skeletal remains. By providing a comprehensive overview, the purpose of this work is to offer readers new perspectives on postmortem interval estimation and to improve current practice in the management of skeletal remains and decomposed bodies
Child starvation and neglect: a report or two fatal cases
No full textFatal starvation is a rare cause of death in industrialised countries. In such cases, investigation of death is never an easy task for forensic pathologists who need to couple autopsy findings with full investigation of the crime scene and family record to establish if death results from deliberate neglect, maltreatment and withholding of food. The present article describes two cases of death caused by child neglect. The first case involved a 16-month-old female who died from starvation with dehydration as a contributing factor. In the second case a 7-year-old girl died from ultimate aspiration of stomach contents that had been vomited during the child's last meal because of the fecal concretions blocking the intestinal passage. In both cases macroscopic and histological findings revealed severe chronic malnutrition; crime scene investigations confirmed stories of child maltreatment and neglect. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved
Clinical forensic aspects of self-inflicted neck injuries
No full textThe distinction between self-inflicted injuries and other types of injuries is crucial in forensic medicine, and relevant features of wounds should be identified by pathologists, even when they are observed at atypical sites. Herein we report two cases of self-inflicted injuries of the neck involving two young women who had reported being attacked by men
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