Histopathological Changes in Traumatized Skeletal Muscles of Neck and the Importance of Opaque Fibres in Cases of Compression to Neck

In some medicolegal cases it is difficult to comment about the cause and manner of death. It is specifically true in cases with faint or absent ligature mark on the neck. In such cases there might also be very minimal gross internal findings. Combining histopathological findings with gross findings can help in such difficult cases. Histopathological findings can help in deriving the cause and manner of death in such unsolved and doubtful cases.

The purpose of the study was to collect data on the various histological changes in neck muscles as an evidence of compression to neck.

100 cases of compression to neck were examined along with 10 control cases. Neck muscles underneath the compressive forces were dissected. Sample was processed and paraffin blocks were prepared. 4-5 microns thick sections were cut with a leicra microtome and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H & E) stain and Modified gomoritrichome stain.

A highly significant association (p value<0.0001) between presence of opaque fibre in cases of antemortem compression to neck as compared to control cases (cases with no compressive forces to neck) was found.

In cases of compression to neck, cervical muscular injuries produce thick and rounded fibres in transverse sections microscopically. These fibres are also seen in cross sections of muscle biopsies from patients with muscular dystrophy and also similar to wavy fibres in myocardial infarction. There is a corelation between the strength of applied force and production of opaque fibres with two different forms i.e Diffuse pattern and Focal pattern of opaque fibres.