Vaginal "fisting" as a cause of death

We describe the death of a young girl that resulted from the insertion of a clenched hand and forearm into her vagina during heterosexual activity. (The male homosexual practice of rectal fist insertion has been described previously.) We believe this death to be the first reported case of a "fisting" death due to vaginal fist insertion during heterosexual activity. This death is reported to alert forensic pathologists, medicolegal death investigators, and coroners aware of the role of aberrant sexual activity and its potential to cause death.     

Schizophrenia as a cause of death

Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder that is associated with increased mortality. Although traumatic deaths account for most of this increase, there is also an increased rate of natural deaths in this population. Altered autonomic physiology in this group might contribute to death. To determine if there are schizophrenics in whom, after a complete autopsy, no recognizable cause of death other than schizophrenia is established, the records of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York were reviewed for deaths associated with schizophrenia and a natural manner of death. Six such decedents were identified, and their histories and autopsy results are described. We believe that schizophrenia per se is a potentially lethal disorder. Autonomic irregularities and their interactions with psychotropic drugs deserve further attention.     

医疗纠纷中死亡争议案件尸检价值的评估

目的探讨尸体检验对死亡争议事件的医疗鉴定、赔偿处理上的价值,以妥善处理医疗纠纷中医患双方的矛盾。方法对温州市4个市、区、县2002—2004年的182例死亡争议事件进行回顾性分析,就尸检率,临床、尸检诊断,尸检对医疗鉴定及争议事件处理上的作用,及其在不同级别医院的具体情况等进行了统计处理。结果182例其中尸检46例,尸检率25.27%。二级以上医疗机构死亡争议事件112例,尸检率19.64%。临床死因诊断与尸检死因诊断不符合率37%,以循环系统、呼吸系统为多。46例尸检中,医疗鉴定32例(69.5%),经济赔偿29例(63%)。未尸检136例,医疗鉴定20例(14.7%),经济赔偿121例(88.9%),两者差异显著,有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论尸体检验对死亡争议案件的医疗鉴定与处理具有重要意义,尤其在死因鉴定方面具有不可替代性。     

医疗纠纷中死亡争议案件尸检价值的评估

目的探讨尸体检验对死亡争议事件的医疗鉴定、赔偿处理上的价值,以妥善处理医疗纠纷中医患双方的矛盾.方法对温州市4个市、区、县2002-2004年的182例死亡争议事件进行回顾性分析,就尸检率,临床、尸检诊断,尸检对医疗鉴定及争议事件处理上的作用,及其在不同级别医院的具体情况等进行了统计处理.结果182例其中尸检46例,尸检率25.27%.二级以上医疗机构死亡争议事件112例,尸检率19.64%.临床死因诊断与尸检死因诊断不符合率37%,以循环系统、呼吸系统为多.46例尸检中,医疗鉴定32例（69.5%）,经济赔偿29例（63%）.未尸检136例,医疗鉴定20例（14.7%）,经济赔偿121例（88.9%）,两者差异显著,有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.结论尸体检验对死亡争议案件的医疗鉴定与处理具有重要意义,尤其在死因鉴定方面具有不可替代性.     

Establishing the cause of death in pneumopathies

The article deals with determination and differential diagnosis of the cause of death in different forms of pneumopathy and mechanical asphyxia on the basis of developed morphometric method for separate evaluation of the volume of lung tissue per se, the air and pathologic contents of airways.     

An unusual cause of sudden child death

Since the rise of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, there has been a massive promotion of condom use. Unfortunately, this promotion has not always been accompanied with instructions for safe use. In this case report, we describe a small child who aspirated a condom and subsequently died.     

Gas embolism as a cause of death

Systemic venous gas embolism other than that due to air is a great rarity. A case is reported and the criteria for the diagnosis are discussed. The clinical similarities between embolism of systemic venous air and that of systemic venous gas are emphasized. The two conditions can be differentiated by laboratory investigation only.     

Hypothermia: a natural cause of death

Deaths due to hypothermia are usually accidental and are the result of exposure to extreme environmental temperatures. Often these individuals are intoxicated, elderly, or exposed to severe cold temperatures. We report the case of a blind, nonambulatory, elderly man who was found alive in his home in an unresponsive state. Core body temperature at hospital was 24 degrees C (75 degrees F). At autopsy, punctate hemorrhages were present in the stomach mucosa. A 4- x 7-cm pituitary adenoma extended from a dilated sella turcica, obliterated the optic chiasm, and compressed the base of the brain in the region of the hypothalamus. Compression in this region of the brain would disrupt the temperature regulatory function of the hypothalamus and create an individual who would be susceptible to minor fluctuations in ambient temperature. The manner of death was designated as natural. This is an unusual presentation of a pituitary adenoma in the current era of advanced imaging techniques in which microadenomas are often detected and treated.     

The significance of medicolegal autopsy in determining mode and cause of death

A comparative examination has been made to evaluate decisions as to causes and modes of death among 436 consecutive medicolegal deaths before and after coming to autopsy. All available information was used, including police reports, in evaluating mode and cause of death prior to the autopsy. Among the women, the mode of death evaluation differed in 23.4% of the cases and the cause of death evaluation differed in 77.5% of the cases. Among the men, the mode of death evaluation differed in 23.4% of the cases and the cause of death evaluation differed in 46.9% of the cases. These figures were achieved, however, on the basis of the fact that in most cases the mode of death and cause of death were reported as unknown. After autopsy, the cause of death remained unknown in 3.3% of the females over the age of 2 years and in 4.2% of the males over the age of 2 years. No characteristics relationship was established between the differences found and the age groups. The investigation shows the importance of the medicolegal autopsy for correctly recording cases where the death is obscure.     

"Culture of death" in The Netherlands: Dutch perspectives

During the summer of 1999, extensive interviews with some of the leading authorities on euthanasia policy were conducted in the Netherlands. They were asked: Daniel Callahan argues that there is a 'culture of death' in the Netherlands. What do you think? The majority of interviewees disagreed with the statement. They said that the Netherlands is not fundamentally different than other countries. If at all, the Dutch culture is open and tolerant, welcomes debates and plurality of views, and physicians are decent people who wish to help their patients, not to kill them. A small minority acknowledged that there is some truth in Callahan's observations, arguing that the Dutch actually do not welcome critique and are quite conservative in their liberal attitude toward euthanasia.     

Morbidity and cause of death in homeless persons

The Hamburg Institute of Forensic Medicine analysed 388 deaths of homeless people between 1990 and 1998 considering demographic data, post-mortem results and autopsy findings. The manner of death was either unnatural or unascertained; the autopsy rate amounted to 43.8%. The results confirm the observation discussed in the last few years that homeless people are usually in a poor state of health. In relation to the average age of death, which is 44.5 years, the number of previous diseases is high. Unnatural causes (excluding homicides) account for a high percentage, viz. 62.6%, primarily intoxications. The most frequent natural cause of death is infection (16.8%). Women account for 8.5% of the deaths with their organ findings and causes of deaths being different from those of homeless men in terms of distribution and incidence. The data presented in this report may be helpful for the improvement of the present system of medical help in Hamburg.     

Cardiac hydatid cyst rupture as cause of death

Echinococcosis is a frequent parasitic human infection in sheep-farming areas. It is caused by the larval or the cyst stage of a tapeworm, mainly Echinococcus granulosis. Humans can be infected by ingesting tapeworm eggs, from which cysts will be developed mostly in the liver and the lung. Cardiac involvement of echinococcosis is rare and its clinical evolution is silent till the complication stage. A young adult died suddenly. The autopsy showed a ruptured hydatid cyst hollowed on the right side of the interventricular septum, protruding in the ventricle. The left pulmonary artery contained white-colored fragments of a membrane, similar to the one found in the right ventricle, associated to small vesicles. All these elements were obstructing this vessel, extending to small pulmonary arterial branches. Dissection of the other organs did not show other locations. Microscopic examinations ascertained the diagnosis of echinococcosis. Death was imputed to a right ventricular hydatid cyst rupture with pulmonary artery embolism.