Journal of forensic and legal medicine
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External cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a potentially lifesaving intervention aimed at preserving the cerebral function of a person in cardiac arrest. However, certain injuries can be caused by the various techniques employed. ⋯ Fractures of the ribs and sternum are the most common internal injuries and are frequently acknowledged as a consequence of resuscitation. Nonethlesss, the recognition that less common fractures such as of the larynx or injuries involving the stomach, spleen, heart and liver can occur due to resuscitation will assist the forensic examiner assess the significance of these findings when they present in cases of sudden death.
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Virginity testing (virginity examination) is a gynecological examination that is intended to correlate the status and appearance of the hymen with previous sexual contact to determine whether a female has had or is habituated to sexual intercourse. Virginity examinations are practiced in many countries, often forcibly, including in detention places; on women who allege rape or are accused of prostitution; and as part of public or social policies to control sexuality. The Independent Forensic Expert Group (IFEG) - thirty-five preeminent independent forensic experts from eighteen countries specialized in evaluating and documenting the physical and psychological effects of torture and ill-treatment - released a statement on the practice in December 2014. ⋯ These examinations are inherently discriminatory and, in almost all instances, when conducted forcibly, result in significant physical and mental pain and suffering, thereby constituting cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or torture. When virginity examinations are forcibly conducted and involve vaginal penetration, the examination should be considered as sexual assault and rape. Involvement of health professionals in these examinations violates the basic standards and ethics of the professions.
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Body stuffing is defined as ingestion of unpackaged or packaged illicit drugs in a quick process. The drugs have usually been wrapped loosely in cellophane, plastic bags, paper, or aluminum foil. Methamphetamine toxicity is a dangerous state that occurs during methamphetamine leakage from the ingested packages in the gastrointestinal tract. ⋯ Although surgery was done, it was not useful to exit packs and even led to severe methamphetamine toxicity. These cases show that surgical treatment may be ineffective and even harmful in body-stuffers. On the other hand, this report suggests that pre and post-operation abdominal CT-scan is necessary for evaluating surgical treatment in patients who are still symptomatic.
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Observational Study
Restraint in police use of force events: examining sudden in custody death for prone and not-prone positions.
Little is understood about the incidence of sudden death, its underlying pathophysiology, or its actual relationship to subject positioning. We report data from 4828 consecutive use of force events (August 2006-March 2013) in 7 Canadian police agencies in Eastern and Western Canada. Consecutive subjects aged >18 years who were involved in a police use of force event were included regardless of outcome. ⋯ One individual died suddenly and unexpectedly in the non-prone position with all 10 features of excited delirium. No subject died in the prone position. There was no significant difference in sudden in custody death, in a worst case scenario 99.8% of subjects would be expected to survive being in either the prone or non-prone position following police use of force.
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The purpose of the present study was to investigate all the drowning-related cases in South-West Hungary between 2008 and 2012. It is a retrospective and descriptive study of 114 drowning-related deaths during that 5-year period. The investigation includes both unintentional and intentional drowning cases. ⋯ Seniors frequently committed suicide by drowning. Drowning deaths occurred in all types of water, mostly in lakes, rivers, canals and other types of catchment in the vicinity of victims' homes (most commonly in wells). This study might help to understand the circumstances and the causes leading to drowning and it may draw the attention to the possible preventive interventions.