Journal of forensic and legal medicine
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My experience of the new Diploma in the Forensic and Clinical aspects of Sexual Assault and how this could be used as guidance for future candidates.
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Recently, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) of the United States of America convened a meeting of experts in the area of Excited Delirium Syndrome (ExDS). The history of ExDS, the clinical presentation, the pathophysiology, differential diagnoses and management options were discussed. ⋯ It is important for law enforcement, medical and other healthcare professionals to be familiar with current knowledge about the syndrome. This paper summarizes the current state and knowledge of ExDS.
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Blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is a relatively uncommon diagnosis and is usually associated with a high mortality rate. A case of delayed cardiac rupture is described in an elderly person who sustained blunt chest trauma following a fall into a roadside ditch. ⋯ Acute cardiac tamponade resulting from rupture of the right ventricle is a serious and life threatening state. A high index of suspicion about the possibility of delayed cardiac rupture is required during the management of a case of polytrauma where significant cardiac findings can be masked by the presence of other injuries.
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Multiple self-inflicted gunshot wounds are rare and usually present a challenge to the forensic pathologist in determining the manner of death. Determining a person's capability to act following a gunshot wound can be of major importance in crime scene reconstruction and in differentiation between homicide and suicide. Questions concerning the possibility of physical activity following a given gunshot wound are repeatedly raised in court. ⋯ Third case was a combination of two gunshots to the head and chest. In the text, we focus on the victim's ability to act after the first shot, with regards to the character and localization of the gunshot wound. Also, we focus on findings that are typical for a repeated suicidal shot.