1Assistant Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysore, Karnataka, India Pin-570001
2Prof, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore-560074
3Assist. Prof, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, JIPMER, Puducherry
4Assist Prof, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, PGIMER and RML Hospital, New Delhi
5Post Graduate Trainee, RRMCH, Bangalore
6Junior Resident, MMCRI, Mysore
*Corresponding Author: E-mail: anandprayamane@gmail.com
Online published on 26 May, 2015.
One of the important finding in strangulation death is injury to laryngeal appendages. A cross sectional study was done to know the incidence of injury to laryngeal cartilages in strangulation deaths autopsied at our department from year 2010 to 2012.
A total of 31 cases studied in which ligature strangulation accounted for 18 cases (12 male, 06 female) and manual strangulation 13 cases (7 male and 6 female). Fractures of the hyoid and/or thyroid cartilage were present in 23 cases. Out of 23 cases, hyoid bone fractures noted in 9 cases (23%) and thyroid cartilage fractures found in 17 cases (54%). In ligature strangulation cases hyoid bone fracture present in 5 cases (28%) and thyroid cartilage fracture present in 9 cases (50%). In manual strangulation cases hyoid bone fracture noted in 4 cases (31%) and thyroid cartilage fracture were seen in 8 cases (62%). Cricoid cartilage fracture was not found in our study. Among external features sub-conjunctival hemorrhage was seen in 19 cases and nasal bleeding in 10 cases. Hemorrhage in strap muscles seen in all cases. Thyroid cartilage fracture is more common than hyoid bone fracture in both Ligature and Manual strangulation deaths.
Strangulation, Laryngeal fractures, Hyoid and thyroid cartilage
