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Ocular and optic nerve hemorrhages in abused infants with intracranial injuries
D L Budenz1, M G Farber, H G Mirchandani
1William C. Frayer Laboratory of Eye Pathology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Insights
Optic nerve and retinal hemorrhages were found in all infants who died from nonaccidental intracranial injury. This eye pathology can help determine the cause of death in infants, distinguishing trauma from other causes.
Area of Science:
- Forensic pathology
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric pathology
Background:
- Nonaccidental head trauma is a significant cause of infant mortality.
- Determining the manner of death in infants with intracranial injury can be challenging.
- Ocular pathology is increasingly recognized as a key indicator in forensic investigations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of eye and optic nerve pathology in identifying nonaccidental intracranial injury in infants.
- To differentiate traumatic from non-traumatic causes of death in infants.
- To establish histopathological markers for shaken baby syndrome and blunt force trauma.
Main Methods:
- Autopsy examination of 13 infants with nonaccidental intracranial injury (9 blunt trauma, 4 shaken baby syndrome).
- Comparison with 6 control infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
- Histopathological analysis of optic nerve sheath and intraocular structures.
Main Results:
- All 13 infants with nonaccidental intracranial injury exhibited optic nerve sheath hemorrhage.
- Multilayered retinal hemorrhage was present in 11 of these 13 infants.
- Hemorrhage patterns were consistent regardless of external head trauma presence; controls showed minimal to no hemorrhage.
Conclusions:
- Histopathological examination of optic nerve sheath and intraocular hemorrhages is valuable.
- These findings aid in distinguishing traumatic from non-traumatic infant deaths.
- Ocular findings provide critical evidence in forensic determination of infant mortality.
Purpose:
To ascertain whether the pathology of the eye and optic nerve might be useful in determining the manner of death in infants who died after sustaining apparent nonaccidental intracranial injury.
Methods:
Complete autopsies were performed on 13 infants who died of acute intracranial injuries after nonaccidental trauma. The infants were divided into two groups: nine with physical evidence of blunt trauma to the head, and four without detectable scalp or skull injury whose intracranial injuries were attributed to violent shaking (shaken baby syndrome). Six infants with no intracranial injuries who died suddenly from unidentifiable causes (the so-called sudden infant death syndrome) served as controls.
Results:
Optic nerve sheath hemorrhage, most prominent in the subdural space, was present in all 13 infants with nonaccidental intracranial injury. Multilayered retinal hemorrhage was present in at least one eye of 11 of these 13 infants. The location and quantity of the intraocular and optic nerve sheath hemorrhages did not differ in those with external head trauma and those without scalp or skull lesions. A single control infant had a few erythrocytes in the nerve fiber layer of the anterior optic nerve of one eye. The remainder of the control infants did not have evidence of hemorrhage in the eye or optic nerve sheath.
Conclusion:
Histopathologic analysis of optic nerve sheath and intraocular hemorrhages may be helpful in distinguishing traumatic from non-traumatic causes of death in infants.