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Partial amputation due to tongue bite in death-associated with eclampsia

Matías Arroyo-Navarrete1,2, Lourdes Gómez-Jiménez3, Gabriel M Fonseca4,5,6

  • 1Centro de Investigación en Odontología Legal y Forense (CIO), Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.

Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology
|June 1, 2024
PubMed

Eclampsia is one of the most dangerous complications of pregnancy and has a high incidence in developing countries. It is characterized by coma and the occurrence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in pregnant women with hypertension. Deep bites on the tongue and other orofacial injuries have been described as consequences of these seizures. We present a case of death associated with eclampsia in which the bite during the seizure episode caused almost total amputation of an enlarged tongue (macroglossia). The medico-legal value of this finding and the situation due to antecedent pathological conditions and lack of routine screening in pregnant women who may migrate legally or illegally to give birth with better medical care are discussed.

Keywords:
EclampsiaForensic odontologyForensic pathologySeizuresTongue

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