Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology最新文献

As an effective alternative therapy, acupuncture is increasingly recognized and utilized worldwide. While acupuncture is used to treat neurological, respiratory, and circulatory disorders, its clinical efficacy is influenced by various factors. Even minimal stabbing wounds may cause physical injury or be life-threatening if done improperly. We report the case of a young man who died suddenly after receiving acupuncture treatment. Autopsy revealed multiple needlestick wounds in the bilateral lungs, liver, and spleen, leading to traumatic pneumothorax and hemoperitoneum, and the man ultimately died of respiratory failure. Notably, the case documentation mentioned only dorsal acupuncture. However, during the autopsy, we discovered additional puncture sites in the bilateral lateral regions, with dimensional discrepancies compared to the dorsal needlestick. We hypothesized that these discrepancies were caused by the use of needles of varying sizes and raised reasonable suspicion of multiple perpetrators. A subsequent law enforcement investigation confirmed that the man's dorsal and lateral acupuncture were performed separately by a masseur at a private clinic and by his partner. A detailed analysis clarified how injuries to different anatomical regions contributed to the fatal outcome, providing a foundation for legal accountability. The uniqueness of this case lies in the involvement of multiple suspects, multiple organ injuries, and unlicensed medical practice. This case not only enriches the report on adverse events associated with acupuncture but also highlights the critical importance of meticulous forensic examination and comprehensive case investigation.

In the early post-war period in Poland (1945-1950), abortion was severely restricted under the 1932 Penal Code. Despite the significant risks, many women chose to have abortions, often in dangerous, non-medical conditions, which led to severe complications or death. The analysis is based on archival materials from the State Archives in Łódź, in particular autopsy reports and court cases concerning deaths and complications related to abortion. This study specifically examines cases from 1945 to 1950. Six court-documented cases meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed - three resulting in the death of the woman and three without fatal consequences but with serious complications requiring surgery. Fatal complications included uterine perforation with accompanying peritonitis and massive hemorrhage, often caused by improper use of instruments. Non-fatal cases also resulted in permanent damage that required surgical treatment. Court judgments ranged, with penalties ranging from acquittal to imprisonment, often mitigated by amnesties or the defendant's circumstances. These cases reveal the brutal nature of illegal abortions and the disastrous effects of restrictive abortion laws. Fear of criminal prosecution often delays medical assistance, worsening treatment outcomes, or leading to death. Archival evidence highlights how the criminalization of abortion threatens women's health and lives, especially during periods of social instability and inadequate access to healthcare. These findings underscore the historical value of archival forensic records in revealing how restrictive legal frameworks shaped patterns of harm and contributed to preventable maternal deaths.

Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by multiple venous malformations, most frequently affecting the skin and gastrointestinal tract, but occasionally involving the central nervous system and other visceral organs. Fatal outcomes are exceedingly rare and usually result from acute hemorrhage or airway compromise. This report describes a fatal case of BRBNS in a 31-year-old woman who developed uncontrollable bleeding from vascular malformations following an emergent tracheostomy performed for anaphylaxis secondary to lidocaine administration during dental treatment. Despite aggressive resuscitative measures, the patient succumbed to hemorrhagic shock. External examination revealed bluish subcutaneous lesions in the perioral region, periorbital ecchymosis, and multiple bluish, compressible subcutaneous vascular "blebs" on the right upper extremity, extending to the right hemithorax. Internally, multiple submucosal, hemorrhagic-appearing lesions were identified on the base of the tongue, hypopharynx, larynx, and aryepiglottic folds, with additional vascular malformations in the posterior mediastinum and right temporalis muscle. Histologic examination confirmed cavernous hemangiomas at the tracheostomy site. A review of the English-language literature revealed only a small number of fatal cases associated with BRBNS. This case highlights the potential for fatal airway hemorrhage in BRBNS, particularly during emergent procedures involving the upper airway. Awareness of possible laryngeal and tracheal involvement is crucial to avoid iatrogenic complications. Comprehensive autopsy remains essential to determine the cause of death, document lesion distribution, and distinguish disease-related hemorrhage from procedural injury.

We report the death of a 32-year-old woman with a history of tobacco smoking who was found dead in her car after being investigated 18-days prior in hospital following a road traffic accident. Postmortem examination showed no evidence of recent injury. The most significant finding on internal examination was severe single-vessel coronary atherosclerosis. The remainder of the autopsy showed smoking-associated lung changes. Toxicologic studies were negative for common medications, usual street drugs and alcohols, but specialized analytical testing, developed in-house, identified the indazole-based fluorinated synthetic cannabinoid (SC) 4F-MDMB-BICA and its butanoic acid metabolite in blood, vitreous fluid and urine. An unlabeled package of a herbal smoking mixture, located in the personal belongings of the deceased, was found to contain 4F-MDMB-BICA. The potency of 4F-MDMB-BICA is reported to be much higher (up to several 100-fold) than marijuana. Reported fatalities related to SCs suggest that their effects are unpredictable and, due to the limited studies available, no clear threshold for a lethal dose has yet been determined. Adverse central nervous system effects documented for 4F-MDMB-BICA include auditory and visual hallucinations, paranoia, agitation, confusion, and insomnia. Euphoria, irregular heartbeat, chest pain and myocardial infarction in teenagers have also been described. SCs pose a substantial risk for cardiac toxicity, with mechanisms involving CB₁ receptor-mediated oxidative stress, ion channel modulation, and autonomic dysregulation, resulting in a wide range of potentially life-threatening cardiovascular events. Genetic studies were undertaken to rule out a possible cardiomyopathy based on the presence of epsilon waves in a recent hospital electrocardiogram. This revealed a c.5329G > A (p.Ala1777Thr) variant of uncertain significance in the MYH7 gene. Detailed heart examination did not show evidence of an underlying cardiomyopathy. Death in this woman was attributed to 4F-MDMB-BICA toxicity, with coronary atherosclerosis listed as a contributing factor given that SC fatalities are considered primarily cardiac in nature, causing/contributing to acute coronary events, such as coronary vasospasm, thrombosis, arrhythmia, and myocardial ischemia.

"Heated tobacco products" (HTPs), featuring a heating blade placed either in the holder (HH) or within the stick itself (EH), are increasingly being used. The composition and mode of consumption, along with the possible reduction in salivation induced by their use, could affect DNA recovery and STR profiling. The aim of this work was to assess the DNA recovery useful for personal identification from two commercially available types of HTP sticks, compared with traditional cigarettes. Sixteen volunteers each smoked 2 traditional cigarettes, 2 HTP sticks of type HH and 2 HTP sticks of type EH each (n = 96). For each type, one filter paper was analyzed immediately (T0), and another after one month of storage in a controlled environment (T1). DNA amounts ranged from 0.265 to 7.4294 ng/μl for traditional cigarettes and 0.0008 ng/μl to 6.4711 ng/μl for HTP sticks, showing a significant difference (p = 0.0092). DNA recovery from traditional cigarette, but not from HTP sticks, was significantly lower at T1 compared to T0. Ninety-two samples (95.8%) were amplified, yielding 88 full STR profiles (95.6%), 4 partial profiles (4.4%) and 5 mixed profiles (5.4%), while no profiles deemed inconclusive. Mixed profiles likely resulted from persistent DNA transferred prior to the controlled conditions. Heated tobacco sticks may lead to lower DNA recovery than traditional cigarettes, potentially impacting other forensic DNA analyses that require higher DNA yield than STR profiling.