Cardiac Changes Seen in Hanging Victims Who Survived for Varying Periods before Death: An Autopsy based Study

Hanging is a very simple, yet highly effective method of suicide. Death is instantaneous in most cases of hanging. Survival after hanging is a rare event. A long survival and recovery is rarer. The present cross sectional study was conducted in 25 cases of hanging victims who survived for varying periods before death and was brought for autopsy at Department of Forensic Medicine, State Medico-Legal Institute, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. Macroscopic and microscopic changes seen in the heart of these victims were studied for a period of one and a half years from January 2013 to June 2014. The cases were studied in detail and are discussed below.