The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Traumatic Decapitation of the Fetus During Birth: Criminalistic and Forensic Aspects
We report an unusual case of intrapartum complete fetal decapitation. The labor was complicated by shoulder dystocia, with resultant repeated mechanical trauma to the fetal neck and, finally, decapitation. The tragic results of biological processes in human organisms do not automatically confirm medical malpractice. However, there may be grave ethical and forensic outcomes. (Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology)
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

An Unusual Cervical Injury Caused by Accidental Electrical Burns
High-voltage electrocution is mostly unintentional, and it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to severe tissue damages. The present report describes an atypical electrocution with multiple victims and a fatal outcome of a 48-year-old man due to unusual neck injuries caused by accidental electrical burns. (Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology)
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

Niemann-Pick Disease Type B in Traumatic Splenic Rupture
The rupture of spleen is common in clinical and forensic practice. Trauma is the most common cause of splenic rupture. Although rare, traumatic splenic rupture may occur in these individuals with asymptomatic underlying disease, and clinical and forensic pathologists may neglect the disease and diagnose only the traumatic splenic rupture. Here, we present a case of postinjury splenic rupture resulting in splenectomy, where the patient was diagnosed with Niemann-Pick disease type B through histopathological examination and genetic testing. In forensic practice, in cases of isolation splenic rupture, full microscopy should b...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

An Unusual Method of Suicide: Cable Ties
Suicidal ligature strangulation is a relatively rare event—far more common is suicide by hanging or homicidal ligature strangulation. With the increasing rate of suicide in the United States, use of atypical ligatures is likely to increase as well. Herein, we present such a rare case, a man who died by tightening cable ties around his own neck, and discuss the necessity of full scene and autopsy investigation to ensure proper certification of manner of death. (Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology)
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

An Illustrative Case of Suicidal Hanging Versus Accidental Hanging Associated With Autoerotic Activity: Necessary Medicolegal Death Investigation and Role of Cognitive Bias
The majority of hanging deaths are relatively straightforward when opining the manner of death, typically determined to be suicide. However, there are rare hanging deaths that require the forensic pathologist to seek additional information. Forensic pathologists commonly consider an accidental manner of death when the hanging death scene includes evidence of solitary sexual activity consistent with autoerotic asphyxia. Here, the authors present a case of an initially apparent suicidal hanging where important death scene details photographed by the medical examiner investigator and history provided by family members during ...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

Postmortem Otorrhagia in Positional Asphyxia
Otorrhagia is generally associated with basilar skull fractures or diving accidents. In routine forensic medical practice, an accurate knowledge of the etiology of otorrhagia may have a key role to distinguish between traumatic and atraumatic causes and accidental, homicidal, or suicidal manners. The authors present the case of an unusual cause of atraumatic otorrhagia occurred in an elderly farmer found dead in a barn. He remained entrapped in a narrow tunnel created by some hay bales. The autopsy findings revealed only an intense polyvisceral congestion and subpleural petechiae, with no signs of traumatic injuries and no...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

Fatal Intracerebral Hemorrhage During “Muay Thai” in a 21-Year-Old Man With Undiagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Spontaneous or Posttraumatic Hemorrhage?
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow that interferes with the production of normal blood cells. This disease is burdened by a high risk of bleeding complications involving central nervous system hemorrhages, purpura, gingival bleeding, and gastrointestinal bleeding. In this article, the authors report a case of a fatal intracerebral hemorrhage in a 21-year-old man who was affected by an undiagnosed AML. The subject practiced a combat sport (Muay Thai), and 2 days before his last training, he was involved in a fight where the aggressor punched him...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

Traumatic Axonal Injury: A Case Report
A 17-year-old prisoner was found unconscious during a morning check. The previous night, he had been struck on the chin multiple times by one of the other inmates. The patient remained unconscious and eventually died after nearly 1.5 months of care. The primary task of the forensic pathological examination was to investigate the events leading to his death; therefore, it was necessary to examine whether there was a connection between the abuse and eventual death. In our case, the key element was the repetitive, mild-to-moderate force in abuse, resulting in grade I traumatic diffuse axonal damage. Due to progressive brain e...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

Loperamide Abuse and Its Sequelae
Discussion Because of reduced central nervous system activity and associated euphoria at therapeutic doses, loperamide abuse is rarely reported. This case demonstrates that an overdose on loperamide can occur in patients seeking symptom alleviation, and may mimic the presentation of opioid overdose. (Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology)
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

The Diagnosis of a Case of Household Cleaner Fatality
In this report, we are discussing a case of fatal ingestion of household cleaner, which was stored in an unlabeled bottle. The deceased developed features of gastrointestinal irritation, such as vomiting and pain in throat and abdomen. He also had features of aspiration such as cough and chest crepitation. Finally, he developed metabolic acidosis, gastric perforation, respiratory failure, and died within a day. The autopsy features such as teeth discoloration, corrosion of mouth and lips, and histopathological findings helped us in concluding that the ingredients contained some corrosive mineral acid. This case highlights ...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

Sudden Death Due to Neck Paraganglioma: A Pediatric Case Report and Review of the Literature
Neck paragangliomas are relatively rare neuroendocrine nonsecretory tumors. They are mainly observed among adults and are often asymptomatic, causing a frequent delay in diagnosis. In pediatric cases, neck paragangliomas can be associated with adrenergic symptoms that may lead to complications. (Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology)
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research

Evaluation of Antegonial Angle and Antegonial Depth to Estimate Sex in a Prepubertal Turkish Population
This retrospective study aimed to measure the antegonial angle (AGA) and antegonial depth (AGD) on panoramic radiographs in a Turkish subpopulation and to determine how those measurements relate to sex before puberty. A total of 600 patients were divided into 3 age groups (5, 6, or 7 years), and each group consists of 100 boys and 100 girls. For each patient, AGA and AGD indices in panoramic radiograph were measured by an oral radiologist and pediatric dentist. To our knowledge, this is the first study measuring AGA and AGD parameters on prepubertal subjects and identifying sex differences in these parameters. The data wer...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research

Age Estimation of Teenage Boys During Puberty
Conclusions Our method of age estimation is simpler and accurate. It could be used routinely in a forensic frame to respond to judicial requests. (Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology)
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research

Can Bone-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase and Osteocalcine Levels Be Used to Determine the Age in Children?
Conclusions This study provides sex- and age-dependent cutoff values for ALP and BALP for the girl, which may be useful for age determination. (Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology)
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research

Microcrystalline Cellulose and Crospovidone Identified in Placentas With Vaginal Misoprostol Use
Misoprostol is a prostaglandin analog commonly used to induce termination of pregnancy. Clandestine home terminations complicate forensic fetal autopsy when a history of misoprostol use is withheld and the gross and histologic findings are sparse, as is often the case. One hundred thirty-two placentas with no vaginal misoprostol use, low-dose misoprostol use, and high-dose misoprostol use were reviewed for the presence, volume, and locations of microcrystalline cellulose and crospovidone, common tablet fillers in misoprostol tablets. Microcrystalline cellulose and/or crospovidone was identified in 0 (0%) of 88 cases with n...
Source: The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology - August 14, 2020 Category: Forensic Medicine Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research