Histopathological Study of Blood Vessels in Hanging and Strangulation Deaths

The present study was done on medicolegal autopsies conducted by the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Government Medical College, Amritsar from 1.3.2001 to 31.1.2003 to study the histopathological changes in neck structures. Tissue biopsy from the blood vessels, the internal carotids of the neck beneath and around the compression area of ligature mark was taken and histopathological examination was carried out. In 28% cases of hanging and 5.5% cases of strangulation combined findings of intimal tearing and medial tearing were found, whereas in 4% of hanging and 5.5% cases in strangulation, tearing of the layers was associated with infiltration in the vessel wall