International journal of legal medicine
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Case Reports
Serious complications from active compression-decompression cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Complications arising from techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were reviewed by analysing the autopsy protocols of 25 patients who died after standard (Std) CPR and 31 who died after active compression-decompression (ACD) CPR, 15 of them preceded by Std CPR. The results can be summarised as follows: After Std CPR (n = 25) rib fractures were detected in 28%, sternal fractures in 16%, and no injuries in 68%. ⋯ In two patients severe cardiac injuries occurred clearly attributable to CPR. In conclusion cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the ACD-technique caused rib and sternal fractures more often than Std CPR and has a higher risk for iatrogenic cardiac and possible fatal injury.
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Case Reports
Radiological findings in gunshot wounds caused by hunting ammunition. An experimental study.
Experimental gunshots were made with hunting ammunition using a dummy model made of skin and foam rubber as the target. After penetration of intermediate targets of wood by the bullets, the characteristics of the wounds changed and their dimensions increased. The morphology of the wounds presented a very varied spectrum. ⋯ The experimental findings suggest that the formation of the fine metallic residues is analogous to the development of the bullet wipe formed by lead bullets. Larger fragments flew into the target independently of the bullet and depending on the distance between the intermediate and final targets. A case example is documented.
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Military rifle bullets are assumed to tumble 180 degrees in the target and end up facing backwards, but intact. It has been claimed, however, that a German version of the 7.62 mm x 51 (7.62 mm NATO) bullet may fragment at ranges up to 100 m. A lack of strength in the jacket, causing it to break at the cannelure when hitting the target at high impact velocity, has been held responsible for this behaviour. ⋯ The AMA bullet M/75 used previously was found to fragment at ranges up to approx. 100 m, corresponding to impact velocities of approx. 715 m/sec, while all the other 3 types of bullets were intact at ranges down to 2.5 m, corresponding to impact velocities of approx. 810 m/sec. The final prototype of an AMA bullet to answer this criticism proved capable of withstanding fragmentation as well as the foreign makes previously tested. It will enter series production in late 1995.
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Comparative Study
Doppler radar velocity measurements for wound ballistics experiments.
Bullet velocity is a basic parameter in wound ballistics studies. It is usually measured electronically by means of a variety of solid or photoelectric barriers connected to equipment measuring the time elapsing between impulses, enabling the velocity to be calculated. With the advent of Doppler radar velocity measurement of large calibre artillery shells, the use of this equipment for wound ballistics experiments was investigated. ⋯ A very good correspondence between the measured entry and exit velocities in low and medium velocity bullets was found, i.e. an average deviation of less than 1% (range 0-2%) between the two types of equipment. In high velocity bullets measurement of entry velocities was just as good, but in both methods measurement of the exit velocity was complicated by the cluttering of signals by fragments of tissue released from the exit wound and the deflection of the bullet, Doppler radar offers important benefits - simple set up, minimal risk of damage of equipment by stray bullets and very good accuracy - and may replace photocells and similar equipment in studies involving low and medium velocity bullets. Measurement of the exit velocity of high velocity bullets is unsatisfactory in both methods, and it is necessary to improve the Doppler radar method in order to measure that as well.
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Case report on a suicide with a gas pistol loaded with 8 mm blank cartridges. A 58-year-old male shot himself in the right temple and then in the back of the neck. ⋯ The soft tissues were injured solely by the pressure of the exploding powder. Death was due to an air/gas embolism in the right ventricle of the heart.