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Anatomopathological findings in hangings: a retrospective autopsy study
Ayse Kurtulus1, Goksin Nilufer Yonguc, Bora Boz
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Pamukkale University, Kinikli, Turkey. akurtulus76@yahoo.com
Background:
In this retrospective autopsy study, we aimed to review the anatomopathological findings observed in cases of hanging death for a five year period and to evaluate the role of contributing factors such as age, sex, type of hanging and localization of the ligature knot.
Methods:
Autopsy reports of 102 hanging cases performed by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Pamukkale University, between January 2007 and September 2011, were retrospectively reviewed.
Results:
In the 102 hanging cases 73 of the victims were males (71.6%) and 29 (28.4%) were females, with a mean age of 40.97 ± 17.41 years. All cases were suicidal hanging. Fifty four cases (52.9%) were typical hanging, with the ligature knot located posteriorly. There were petechial hemorrhage on the face and eye lids in 46 (45.1%), ecchymoses of the cervicale muscles in 43 (42.2%), and fractures of the neck structure(s) in 69 cases (67.6%).
Conclusions:
The incidence of neck structure fractures increased with age. In addition, there was no correlation between the incidence of neck structure fractures and sex or type of hanging.
