Journal of forensic and legal medicine
-
We retrospectively analyzed the autopsy records of the Institute of Forensic Medicine during the five-year period between 1998 and 2002 to document the characteristics of fatalities resulting from hanging which is the commonest mode of suicide in Istanbul. Upon analysis of death scene investigation and autopsy reports together with the information gathered from the police, the cases of hanging fatalities of suicidal origin were selected. Seven hundred sixty one hanging cases of suicidal origin were detected and evaluated in terms of demographic features, the type of hanging material used for ligature, cause of death, internal findings in neck organs, other traumatic findings suggesting the use of another method for suicide, toxicological findings and microscopic findings in delayed death cases. ⋯ Vertebral fracture was detected in six cases and fractures both in hyoid, thyroid and vertebra was found in four cases. Hyperemic lines around the ligature were prominent in 620 of the cases and soft tissue ecchymoses in all cases. In 305 of the cases (40.07%) diagnosis was based only on the soft tissue hemorrhage.