Thermal and Electrical trauma

Question 1

Effects of heat

Answer 1

• heat exhaustion
• heat stroke
• malignant hyperthermia
• inhalation syndrome
• burns

Question 2

Mechanisms of death in burns

Answer 2

• shock and toxaemia
• sepsis
• bronchopneumonia or renal failure
• haemorrhage from acute erosion of the duodenum

Question 3

PM findings in early deaths from burns

Answer 3

• external lesions
• heat rigor
• liver necrosis
• petechial haemorrhages

Question 4

How to differentiate if person was alive or dead when fire reached them

Answer 4

Person who dies after fire reaches them have blood CO concentration >10% and carbon particles in the airways

Question 5

What can cause fractures in a charred body?

Answer 5

• antemortem violence
• action of heat on the skull
• after death falling etc.

Question 6

Causes of death in conflagrations

Answer 6

• burns
• acute monoxide poisoning or other toxic gases
• injury from falling masonry
• other injury (knife, blunt, bullet)

Question 7

Definition of hypothermia

Answer 7

Care temp <35

Question 8

How can body heat be lost?

Answer 8

• conduction
• convection
• radiation
• evaporation

Question 9

Effects of hypothermia

Answer 9

• decreased BMR
• J wave on ECG
• fibrillation
• cold water diuresis
• hyperglycaemia
• coma

Question 10

PM findings in hypothermia

Answer 10

• bright red body
• pancreatic haemorrhages
• paralytic ileus
• visceral congestion

Question 11

Forms of local cold injury

Answer 11

• trench foot

- frostbite

Question 12

Causes of death in electrical trauma

Answer 12

• ventricular fibrillation
• respiratory muscle paralysis
• paralysis of respiratory centre
• extensive burns

Question 13

Factors affecting likelihood of death in electrical trauma

Answer 13

• earthing
• duration of passage of current
• resistance of the body
• other (cardiac disease)

Question 14

Signs of electrocution

Answer 14

• burns = white, irregular and bloodless with central crater and rolled-over edge
• small pinpoint areas of burning