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Gross S, Roller M, Haslob H, Grilo M, Lakemeyer J, Reckendorf A, Wohlsein P, Siebert U. Spatiotemporal accumulation of fatal pharyngeal entrapment of flatfish in harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena) in the German North Sea. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10160. [PMID: 33150078 PMCID: PMC7583609 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of a permanent separation of the upper respiratory and digestive tract is one of the adaptions cetaceans evolved for their aquatic life. Generally, it prevents odontocetes from choking on either saltwater or foreign bodies during ingestion under water. Nevertheless, several sporadic single case reports from different parts of the world show that this separation can be reversed especially by overly large items of prey. This incident can have a fatal outcome for the odontocetes. The German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein has a year-round, permanent and systematic stranding network that retrieves stranded marine mammals from its shorelines and constantly enables post-mortem examinations. In 2016, with nine affected animals, a high incidence of fatal pharyngeal entrapment of flatfish in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) occurred during spring and early summer on the German North Sea island of Sylt. All flatfish were identified as common sole (Solea solea). A retrospective post-mortem data analysis over a 30-year period from the North and Baltic Sea revealed similar yearly and seasonally case accumulations on the same island in the 1990s as well as several single case events over the whole timespan. All cases except one were caused by flatfish. When flatfish speciation was performed, only common sole was identified. From 1990 to 2019, of all examined harbour porpoises, 0.3% (2/713) from the Baltic Sea and 5.5% (45/820) from the North Sea died due to fish entrapped in the pharynx. On the North Sea coast, the occurrence of fatal obstruction shows high yearly variations from 0 to 33.3%. Years that stand out are especially 1990 to 1992, 1995, as well as 2016. The majority of all cases generally occurred between April and July, indicating also a seasonality of cases. This study evaluates the occurrence of fatal pharyngeal entrapment of fish in two geographically separated harbour porpoise populations. Additionally, common sole is clearly identified as a potentially risky item of prey for these small odontocetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Gross
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany
| | - Marco Roller
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany
| | - Holger Haslob
- Thünen-Institute of Sea Fisheries, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Miguel Grilo
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.,CIISA-Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jan Lakemeyer
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany
| | - Anja Reckendorf
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany
| | - Peter Wohlsein
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hanover, Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany
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Fatal obstructive asphyxia: Trans-pulmonary density gradient characteristic as relevant identifier in postmortem CT. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jofri.2019.100337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Devinsky O, Bundock E, Hesdorffer D, Donner E, Moseley B, Cihan E, Hussain F, Friedman D. Resolving ambiguities in SUDEP classification. Epilepsia 2018; 59:1220-1233. [DOI: 10.1111/epi.14195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Orrin Devinsky
- Epilepsy Center; Department of Neurology; NYU School of Medicine; New York NY USA
| | - Elizabeth Bundock
- Vermont Department of Health; Office of Chief Medical Examiner; Burlington VT USA
| | - Dale Hesdorffer
- Epidemiology; Columbia University Medical Center; New York NY USA
| | - Elizabeth Donner
- Neurology; Faculty of Medicine; University of Toronto; Toronto Canada
| | - Brian Moseley
- Neurology; University of Cincinnati; Cincinnati OH USA
| | - Esma Cihan
- Epilepsy Center; Department of Neurology; NYU School of Medicine; New York NY USA
| | - Fizza Hussain
- Epilepsy Center; Department of Neurology; NYU School of Medicine; New York NY USA
| | - Daniel Friedman
- Epilepsy Center; Department of Neurology; NYU School of Medicine; New York NY USA
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Virtopsy versus autopsy in unusual case of asphyxia: Case report. Forensic Sci Int 2013; 229:e1-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2011] [Revised: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 03/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Abstract
The present report describes the sudden death of a 3-year-old female child who had been clinically diagnosed with Leigh syndrome.Leigh syndrome is a heterogeneous progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which is characterized by focal or bilateral lesions in the thalamus, basal ganglia, brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord. Affected patients exhibit a variable clinical picture that frequently includes psychomotor retardation or regression, recurrent episodes of vomiting, failure to thrive, and signs of brainstem and basal ganglia dysfunction.The child was found dead in bed. Autopsy described the presence of symmetrical, necrotizing lesions scattered within the basal ganglia, thalamus, diencephalon, brainstem, and spinal-cord gray matter and revealed the presence of gastric contents in the upper and lower airways. We report the results of genetic investigations and describe the histological and immunohistochemical features that confirmed the diagnosis. These findings suggest that Leigh syndrome should be regarded as predisposing children to sudden death, especially by asphyxia secondary to the neurological disorder.
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Li DR, Ishikawa T, Quan L, Zhao D, Michiue T, Zhu BL, Wang HJ, Maeda H. Morphological analysis of astrocytes in the hippocampus in mechanical asphyxiation. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2010; 12:63-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2009] [Revised: 11/12/2009] [Accepted: 11/15/2009] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Oesterhelweg L, Bolliger SA, Thali MJ, Ross S. Virtopsy: Postmortem Imaging of Laryngeal Foreign Bodies. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2009; 133:806-10. [DOI: 10.5858/133.5.806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2008] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Context.—Death from corpora aliena in the larynx is a well-known entity in forensic pathology. The correct diagnosis of this cause of death is difficult without an autopsy, and misdiagnoses by external examination alone are common.
Objective.—To determine the postmortem usefulness of modern imaging techniques in the diagnosis of foreign bodies in the larynx, multislice computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and postmortem full-body computed tomography–angiography were performed.
Design.—Three decedents with a suspected foreign body in the larynx underwent the 3 different imaging techniques before medicolegal autopsy.
Results.—Multislice computed tomography has a high diagnostic value in the noninvasive localization of a foreign body and abnormalities in the larynx. The differentiation between neoplasm or soft foreign bodies (eg, food) is possible, but difficult, by unenhanced multislice computed tomography. By magnetic resonance imaging, the discrimination of the soft tissue structures and soft foreign bodies is much easier. In addition to the postmortem multislice computed tomography, the combination with postmortem angiography will increase the diagnostic value.
Conclusions.—Postmortem, cross-sectional imaging methods are highly valuable procedures for the noninvasive detection of corpora aliena in the larynx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Oesterhelweg
- From the Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland. Dr Oesterhelweg is now with the State Institute of Legal Medicine Berlin, Senate Administration for Health, Environment and Customer Protection, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan A. Bolliger
- From the Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland. Dr Oesterhelweg is now with the State Institute of Legal Medicine Berlin, Senate Administration for Health, Environment and Customer Protection, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael J. Thali
- From the Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland. Dr Oesterhelweg is now with the State Institute of Legal Medicine Berlin, Senate Administration for Health, Environment and Customer Protection, Berlin, Germany
| | - Steffen Ross
- From the Center of Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland. Dr Oesterhelweg is now with the State Institute of Legal Medicine Berlin, Senate Administration for Health, Environment and Customer Protection, Berlin, Germany
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Oliveira RN, Silva RHA, Boldrini SDC. Pericial analysis of a dental element found inside food used for human consumption. J Forensic Leg Med 2008; 15:269-73. [PMID: 18423364 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2007.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2007] [Revised: 08/07/2007] [Accepted: 10/08/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The field of forensic dentistry embodies the human identification in a lot of conditions. A case is described when a tooth-like object was found in a pork sausage. A lawsuit was filed against the food company and the possible dental element was analysed. The tests used to analyze the case were: scanning electronic microscopic exam, radiographic exam and compared anatomy. The results confirmed that the object found in the sausage pack was a dental element from an adult pig; which had the potential for problems like asphyxia or contamination. The case illustrates one facet of forensic dentistry in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogério Nogueira Oliveira
- Social Dentistry Department, Dental School - USP, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2227, Cidade Universitária, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Abstract
An increasing death rate as a result of violence constitutes a large group in medicolegal autopsies. Specially, deaths due to asphyxia are one of the most important causes in violence deaths. During the 21-year period from January 1984 to October 2004, there were 134 asphyxial deaths autopsied by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey. Asphyxial deaths comprise 15.7% of all forensic autopsies; 20.8% of the cases are aged between 30 and 39 years, and the average age was 41.9 years. Males constitute 79.8% of all the cases. The most frequent method of asphyxiation death is hanging (56 cases, 41.8%), followed by drowning (30.5%) and carbon monoxide poisoning (8.2%). More violent methods, such as ligature or manual strangulations, constitute 2.9% and 2.3% of all asphyxial deaths, respectively. Although it was varying according to the methods of asphyxiation, suicide was found to be the manner of death in the majority of the cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derya Azmak
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Trakya University, Medical Faculty, Edirne, Turkey
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Wick R, Gilbert JD, Byard RW. Café coronary syndrome-fatal choking on food: an autopsy approach. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005; 13:135-8. [PMID: 16356749 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcfm.2005.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2005] [Accepted: 10/22/2005] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
To examine the characteristic features of fatal food asphyxia and to develop an autopsy approach to such cases a retrospective study of autopsy files was undertaken at Forensic Science SA (Adelaide, Australia) over a 10 year period from 1993 to 2002 for all cases of food asphyxia/café coronary syndrome. Forty-four cases were identified (M;F=21:23), with one infant (11 mths) and 43 adults (30-96 yrs; mean 68.9 yrs), with a preponderance of victims (57%) aged between 71 and 90 yrs. Deaths occurred in nursing homes (N=22) cases, at home (N=11) and in restaurants (N=4). Twenty-seven of the victims (61%) had histories of neurological or psychiatric disorders such as dementia (N=8), schizophrenia (N=6), Alzheimer disease (N=4), atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease (N=4), mental impairment (N=2), multiple sclerosis (N=1), Parkinson disease (N=1) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (N=1). Twenty-seven cases (61%) were described as either edentulous or having significant numbers of teeth missing. Toxicological evaluation of blood revealed alcohol and a variety of psychotropic prescription medications in 19 cases. Sudden collapse during or shortly after a meal should always raise the possibility of café coronary and the autopsy examination should not only attempt to demonstrate airway occlusion by a bolus of food, but also to identify or exclude underlying neurological disease. Such cases may raise issues concerning adequacy of care and appropriateness of medication. The diagnosis of café coronary syndrome can only be made with confidence after the clinical history and circumstances of death have been clearly established, impacted material has been demonstrated in the airway at autopsy (or recorded by those attempting resuscitation), risk factors have been identified and other possible causes of death have been excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regula Wick
- Forensic Science SA and Department of Pathology, University of Adelaide, 21 Divett Place, 5000 Adelaide, Australia
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