Drowning-Related Injuries: Fallen from the Bridge for the Purpose of Suicide.
- Author:
Hyung Soo KIM
1
;
Jeong Ho PARK
;
Seung Pill CHOI
;
Jung Hee WEE
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. jhpark1977@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Drowning;
Suicide;
Multiple trauma
- MeSH:
Abdomen;
Body Regions;
Drowning;
Emergency Service, Hospital;
Heart Arrest;
Hematoma;
Humans;
Injury Severity Score;
Methods;
Multiple Trauma;
Pneumothorax;
Retrospective Studies;
Rib Fractures;
Rivers;
Spine;
Suicide*;
Tertiary Healthcare;
Thorax
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2017;28(1):47-53
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Jumping off a bridge is one method of suicide. In a recent report, out of the 37 patients with cardiac arrest after drowning, 5 (36%) patients suffered severe traumatic injuries. The objective of this study was to report these injuries, without cardiac arrest, in patients after jumping off a bridge with the purpose of suicide. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all patients admitted to the emergency department in a tertiary care hospital after drowning in the Han River between 1997 and 2012. We analyzed the results of imaging studies. Each injury was described as one of the six body regions, similar to the method of the Injury Severity Score. RESULTS: A total of 469 patients were admitted to the emergency department from drowning. Sixty-six patients had jumped off a bridge with the purpose of suicide. Forty patients experienced cardiac arrest. In cardiac arrest patients, 25 patients (62.5%) underwent radiologic examinations. Only 2 patients (5.0%) received damage on the cervical spine and face. All non-cardiac arrest patients underwent imaging studies. Nine patients (34.6%) showed evidence of injuries. Most injuries occurred in the chest; four patients suffered the following injuries: rib fracture, pneumothorax, pneumomedistinum, and thoracic spine fracture. One patient had abdominal damage, an intra-abdominal hematoma. Last one patient suffered an injury to the chest and abdomen. CONCLUSION: In drowning patients with the purpose of suicide, variable damage could not be ruled out. It is especially not confined to a specific area, and damage to various parts of the body should be considered.
