The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Mar 2011
Case ReportsDeer stand fatalities in Kentucky: two cases of reverse suspension and blunt force trauma.
Hunting many types of wild game is an avidly pursued outdoor activity that attracts all ages and both genders at various times of the year. Deer hunting is a popular sport in many regions of North America. A variety of weapons are used in the hunting, trapping, and killing of game. ⋯ One victim died of positional asphyxia due to reverse suspension from a hunting tree stand. The second victim died of multiple blunt force injuries sustained in a 20-foot fall from a tree stand. We summarize the features of morbidity and mortality related to deer hunting based on investigations by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Mar 2011
Case ReportsOcular findings in raised intracranial pressure: a case of Terson syndrome in a 7-month-old infant.
We present the case of a 7-month-old female infant who was found crying and limp. She was transported to a hospital where a possible subarachnoid hemorrhage was diagnosed radiologically. Before further studies could be pursued, her condition worsened and she died. ⋯ In this case, the rise in intracranial pressure resulted in marked hemorrhage within the optic nerve sheaths as well as intra- and preretinal hemorrhages. Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, or other causes of rapidly increased intracranial pressure, may develop ocular hemorrhage (Terson syndrome). This case illustrates the importance of ruling out natural disease before attributing the autopsy findings to trauma, as well as the importance of postmortem fixation of pediatric brains and eyes prior to examination.
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Mar 2011
Case ReportsAn unusual cause of death in poisoning: a case report.
Arterioesophageal fistula is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. Arterioesophageal fistula and haematemesis are rare in poisoning, especially in noncorrosive poisoning. An arterioesophageal fistula can occur in patients with retroesophageal subclavian artery. This is usually associated with prolonged presence of nasogastric tube.
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Mar 2011
An experimental model of tool mark striations in soft tissues produced by serrated blades.
Stab wounds produced by serrated blades are generally indistinguishable from stab wounds produced by non-serrated blades, except when visible tool mark striations are left on severed cartilage. We explored the possibility that similar striations may be produced on the soft tissues of internal organs. Loin of beef, bovine kidney, and pig heart, liver, and aorta were each stabbed 20 times with a coarsely serrated blade. ⋯ Striations were most easily seen in liver, heart, and aorta. Tool mark striations in soft tissues other than cartilage have not been described in homicidal stabbings, likely because they have not been sought. We suggest that the walls of stab wound tracks should be exposed, and tissue striations should be sought as a means of identifying the weapon as having a serrated blade.
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Am J Forensic Med Pathol · Dec 2010
Case ReportsTwo-handed cardiopulmonary resuscitation can cause rib fractures in infants.
The discovery of acute rib fractures in deceased infants and young children can be unsettling. Although significant injuries may occur subsequent to resuscitative efforts in adults, it is well documented that such injuries are rare in much younger individuals. ⋯ However, little is known about what, if any, injuries might occur subsequent to the delivery of "2-handed" CPR. Five unrelated, nonsequential cases of infant death are reported where multiple acute anterolateral rib arc fractures followed 2-handed CPR delivered by trained medical personnel.