Journal of forensic and legal medicine
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Traffic accidents cause the death of millions in the world each year. Learning about the characteristics of the casualties involved in such accidents, which constitute a very important health problem, is essential in terms of measures to be taken. They may have substantial humanitarian and economic impact. ⋯ Traffic accidents constitute a very important health problem for the public health. Treatment of the injured individuals, and losses from the work force are significant for developing countries like our country. Studies directed towards the causes of traffic accidents will play a very important role in determining the measures to decrease or prevent such crashes.
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Down syndrome, or trisomy 21, is the most common chromosomal abnormality associated with intellectual impairment. Premature death is a feature of the syndrome due to a wide variety of conditions including congenital heart disease, impaired immune responses resulting in respiratory infections, acute leukaemia, upper airway narrowing, pulmonary hypertension, Alzheimer disease and atlantoaxial instability. Cases of Down syndrome not uncommonly present for medicolegal autopsy, as the non-specificity of symptoms and signs often precludes accurate antemortem establishment of a cause of death. Manifestations of Down syndrome are reviewed with an analysis of possible mechanisms of death and findings at autopsy.
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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.
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This paper deals with 301 families who have been offered a consultation for managing bereavement following sudden infant death. Eighty-eight percent of the parents (269 families) accepted and 36 more families out with Lower Saxony wished to be cared for. ⋯ Single cases conferences were carried out for more than five years according to the Sheffield model. There is given the methodical basis and many details of the care project.
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Case Reports
Burns caused by fan heater used for managing post-operative hypothermia in a premature neonate.
Generally fan forced area heaters are considered to be incapable of causing burn injury. A case is presented where such a heater was used to prevent post-operative hypothermia after cut-back anoplasty to correct low anorectal malformation (imperforate anus) in a premature neonate. The neonate sustained dermo-epidermal (second degree) burns to the abdominal wall and right forearm which were swaddled with cloth and deep (third degree) burns to the fingers of left hand that were exposed as intravenous line was inserted at dorsum of the hand.