Evaluation of the deaths secondary to entrapment under the debris in the Van earthquake

AbstractIntroductionAn earthquake occurred on October 23, 2011 at 13:41 in the Van city of Turkey. According to the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, the magnitude of this earthquake was measured as 7.2 on the Richter scale. The earthquake caused deaths and injuries due to entrapment under the debris. This study has been planned in order to evaluate the features of these deaths and to discuss the obtained data comparatively with the literature.Materials and methodsExternal examination of the corpses and autopsy reports drawn up for Van Attorney Generalship in the city center were evaluated retrospectively.ResultsTotally 51 deaths secondary to the entrapment under the debris were analyzed. Twenty-seven cases (52.9%) were females and 24 cases (47.1%) were males. All the deaths occurred in houses or workplaces. The causes of deaths were as follows: head trauma together with visceral organ laceration in 30 cases (58.8%), mechanic asphyxia in 14 cases (27.5%) and the crush syndrome in seven cases (13.7%). Deaths due to the crush syndrome occurred after victims’ were rescued alive after having been under the debris.ConclusionTraumatic findings are usually generalized and extensive in deaths related with earthquakes. Multiple fractures of cranial bones, ribs, extremities and injuries of visceral organs and major vessels are determined in the external examination. On the other hand, forensic pathologists should not disregard the diagnosis of the crush syndrome in traumatic deaths, especially if the trauma is secondary to the entrapment under the debris following an earthquake

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Report of 3 Cases and Literature Review Hormonal, Autoimmune, Morphological Factors

The number of cases with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is considered to be being underestimated because of a large amount of SCAD leading to sudden death without previous diagnosis. Besides, not only in clinics but also in autopsy practice, correct diagnosis of SCAD is important to prevent forensic malpractice. The article is intended to discuss the pathological findings through the forensic point of view for improving the malpractice expertise in scope of clinicians' timely antemortem diagnosis according to risk factors and in scope of forensic pathologists' the cause of death determination ability according to macroscopical and microscopical findings of the autopsy. In 3 cases reported, the main characteristics were the female sex, pregnancy history and a sudden death without any trauma. However, although there are many women giving birth or using oral contraceptives, only some of them are facing with SCAD. This suggests the possibility of some hereditary factors, whereas hereditary characteristics may be understood in many different ways like hormone-releasing regulating mechanisms as well as immunity, morphology, or any other mechanism. For instance, autoimmunity has been also a hereditary underlying factor for vessel injury considered in presented cases

Possible death mechanisms other than respiratory asphyxia in a suicidal hanging case

Hanging is the most common suicide method that has seen in the routine autopsy practice. Known mechanisms of death include asphyxiation due to airway obstruction, cerebral ischemia due to arterial blockage, vagal inhibition (reflex cardiac arrest) due to carotid sinus compression, congestion due to venous blockage, fractures in cervical vertebral column with the cord injury

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Report of 3 Cases and Literature Review Hormonal, Autoimmune, Morphological Factors

The number of cases with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is considered to be being underestimated because of a large amount of SCAD leading to sudden death without previous diagnosis. Besides, not only in clinics but also in autopsy practice, correct diagnosis of SCAD is important to prevent forensic malpractice. The article is intended to discuss the pathological findings through the forensic point of view for improving the malpractice expertise in scope of clinicians' timely antemortem diagnosis according to risk factors and in scope of forensic pathologists' the cause of death determination ability according to macroscopical and microscopical findings of the autopsy. In 3 cases reported, the main characteristics were the female sex, pregnancy history and a sudden death without any trauma. However, although there are many women giving birth or using oral contraceptives, only some of them are facing with SCAD. This suggests the possibility of some hereditary factors, whereas hereditary characteristics may be understood in many different ways like hormone-releasing regulating mechanisms as well as immunity, morphology, or any other mechanism. For instance, autoimmunity has been also a hereditary underlying factor for vessel injury considered in presented cases