Near-hanging injury: two case studies and an overview

Near-hanging injuries result in respiratory, cardiac, neurologic, metabolic, and psychiatric problems. A patient surviving an attempted hanging can arrive at the emergency department in a comatose state, as documented in case 1, or in a conscious but disoriented state, as in case 2. Severe neurologic deficits are often reversible in cases of near-hanging. Regardless of initial findings, aggressive treatment of near-hanging victims should be initiated.