Forensic aspects of anoxic deaths Flashcards

1
Q

Types of anoxia

A
  • anoxic anoxia
  • anaemic anoxia
  • histotoxic anoxias
  • stagnant anoxia
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2
Q

External causes of airway obstruction

A
  • smothering
  • strangulation
  • throttling
  • hanging
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3
Q

Internal causes of airway obstruction

A
  • choking
  • drowning
  • diptheria
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4
Q

Causes of anoxic anoxia

A
  • vitiated atmosphere
  • obstruction
  • disease (pulmonary fibrosis)
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5
Q

Causes of pulmonary fibrosis

A
  • TB
  • Mendelssohn’s syndrome
  • ARDS
  • diffuse fibrosis after Paraquat poisoning
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6
Q

Types of histotoxic anoxias

A
  • extracellular (cyanide)
  • pericellular (halogenated hydrocarbons)
  • substrate
  • metabolic (CO2 poisoning)
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7
Q

Potential causes of stagnant anoxia

A
  • exposure to severe cold
  • constricting ties or ropes
  • neurogenic cardiac arrest
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8
Q

Possible signs of anoxia at autopsy

A
  • petechial haemorrhages, cyanosis
  • other operative mechanisms (fluid in lungs)
  • causation signs (bruises, ligature marks)
  • other possible causes of death
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9
Q

Stages of asphyxia

A
  • inspiratory dyspnoea and cyanosis
  • expiratory dyspnoea, bradycardia, hypertension, unconsciousness, dilated pupils
  • collapse with tachycardia, hypotension, defecation, engorgement of penis
  • respiratory arrest
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10
Q

Signs of anoxia at autopsy

A
  • visceral congestion
  • petechial haemorrhages
  • unclotted blood
  • cardiac dilatation
  • cyanosis
  • pulmonary oedema
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11
Q

Mechanisms of death in choking

A
  • laryngeal spasm
  • foreign body impaction
  • bolus death
  • pneumonia, etc.
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12
Q

Who is prone to bolus deaths?

A
  • ill-fitting dentures
  • alcoholic intoxication
  • mentally retarded
  • after head injury
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13
Q

Mechanisms of death in strangulation

A
  • construction of airway
  • compression of carotid sinus (reflex cardiac arrest)
  • occlusion of carotid arteries (cerebral ischaemia)
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14
Q

Postmortem findings in strangulation

A
  • ligature marks
  • fractures of hyoid bone
  • paleness of face and neck
  • marked asphyxial signs
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15
Q

Why might a law enforcement neck hold cause death?

A
  • underlying disease or congenital anomaly
  • accidental airway obstruction
  • injuries to vertebral arteries
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16
Q

How might a hyoid bone fracture?

A
  • direct lateral compression
  • direct antero-posterior blow
  • indirect violence
17
Q

Causes of death in hangin

A
  • anoxia
  • reflex neurogenic cardiac arrest
  • cord and brian stem damage
  • interference with cerebral circulation
18
Q

Why do a bloodless neck dissection?

A

To prevent dissection artefacts