Study of Cases of Hanging and Strangulation by Ligature with Special Reference to Morphological Changes in Lungs, Thyroid and Adrenal Glands

A retrospective study was conducted at North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri during a span of 2 years (2013–2014). In this study 183 cases of hanging and 16 cases of strangulation by ligature was included to know the epidemiological pattern like age, sex, religion, marital status, socio-economic status and other predisposing factors in fast changing socio-economic scenario, to study the ligature material and to analyze the morphological changes in the lungs, thyroid and adrenal glands in cases of death due to hanging and strangulation by ligature. It was concluded that highest number of hanging deaths were in the age group of 21–30 years while deaths due to strangulation by ligature was highest in 31–40 years age group. Among the age highest number of hanging death is reported in males while no such difference regarding gender was noticed in deaths due to strangulation by ligature. Our study shows on histopathological examination, hemorrhagic spots found inside the parenchyma of lungs, thyroid and adrenal glands in majority of cases of hanging deaths and death due to strangulation by ligature.