Forensic evaluation of fatal-suffocating retropharyngeal haematoma secondary to cervical fractures: Report of two cases |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan;2. Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan;1. The Forensic Panel, United States;2. Iowa State University, United States;1. Wroclaw Medical University Department of Forensic Medicine, 4 J. Mikulicza-Radeckiego Street, Lower Silesia Province, Wroclaw, 50345, Poland;2. Institute of Toxicology Research, 45 Kasztanowa Street, Lower Silesia Province, Borowa, 55093, Poland;1. Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, 273008, India;2. State Medicolegal Expert, State Medicolegal Cell, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226004, India;3. Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 225003, India;4. TBI Hospital, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, 231001, India;1. Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, 342005, India;2. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, 342005, India;3. Department of Anthropology (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India |
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| Abstract: | PurposeTraumatic retropharyngeal haematoma, a condition of low incidence, often occurs secondary to cervical injuries. Owing to the adjacent anatomical location and its insidious formation, retropharyngeal haematoma is prone to cause airway obstruction, which can occasionally be fatal. Though well known in clinical practice, retropharyngeal haematomas are rarely encountered in forensic practice and are not sufficiently explored from a forensic perspective.Case presentationHerein, we present two cases of fatal-suffocating retropharyngeal haematoma following cervical vertebral fractures. In both cases, the time from injury to death was evident, showing unusually long periods from injury to death, specifically 4 days and 2 days, respectively. The causes of death were illustrated, and the delayed onset of fatal airway obstruction was explained. The important points regarding autopsies suspected to be fatal traumatic retropharyngeal haematomas were discussed.ConclusionsKnowledge of the possibility of late onset and understanding of the features of imaging and autopsy findings of traumatic retropharyngeal haematoma is beneficial for forensic pathologists dealing with similar cases. |
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| Keywords: | Retropharyngeal haematoma Airway obstruction Cervical fracture Postmortem computed tomography Forensic autopsy |
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