Assisting Role of Pulmonary Hypostasis Phenomenon in Diagnosis of Drowning.
10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2021.410920
- Author:
Jian WU
1
;
Zeng-Qiang LI
2
;
Wen-Dao DAI
2
;
Jian ZHAO
3
;
Ya-Ping ZHOU
4
;
Guo-Lin QUAN
5
;
Qian-Hao ZHAO
1
;
Yan-Bing MA
3
;
Jian-Ding CHENG
1
Author Information
1. Guangdong Province Translational Forensic Medicine Engineering Technology Research Center, Faculty of Forensic Medicine, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China.
2. Liwan District Branch of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, Guangzhou 510140, China.
3. Guangzhou Forensic Science Institute & Key Laboratory of Forensic Pathology, Ministry of Public Security, Guangzhou 510442, China.
4. Marine Branch of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, Guangzhou 510235, China.
5. Haizhu District Branch of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, Guangzhou 510220, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
cadaveric signs;
drowning;
entering the water after death;
forensic pathology;
pulmonary hypostasis
- MeSH:
Autopsy;
Drowning/pathology*;
Forensic Pathology;
Humans;
Lung/pathology*;
Water
- From:
Journal of Forensic Medicine
2022;38(1):71-76
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES:To study the phenomenon of pulmonary hypostasis in corpses of various causes of death, and to explore the potential value of this phenomenon in assisting forensic pathological diagnosis of drowning.
METHODS:A total of 235 cases with clear cause of death through systematic autopsy were collected from January 2011 to June 2021 in Guangzhou. According to the location of body discovery, the cases were divided into the water body group (97 cases) and the non-water body group (138 cases), and the water body group was further divided into the water drowning group (90 cases) and the water non-drowning group (7 cases). Non-water body group was further divided into the non-water drowning group (1 case) and the non-water non-drowning group (137 cases). Three senior forensic pathologists independently reviewed autopsy photos to determine whether there was hypostasis in the lungs. The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis was calculated.
RESULTS:The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis in the water drowning group (90 cases) was 0, and the negative rate was 100%. The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis in the water non-drowning group (7 cases) was 100% and the negative rate was 0. The detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis in the water body group and in the non-water body group (after excluding 2 cases, 136 cases were calculated) was 7.22% and 87.50%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the detection rate of pulmonary hypostasis between water body group and non-water body group, and between water drowning group and water non-drowning group (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:The disappearance of pulmonary hypostasis can be used as a specific cadaveric sign to assist in the forensic pathological diagnosis of drowning.
