Toxicological analysis of 17 autopsy cases of hydrogen sulfide poisoning resulting from the inhalation of intentionally generated hydrogen sulfide gas.

Although many cases of fatal hydrogen sulfide poisoning have been reported, in most of these cases, it resulted from the accidental inhalation of hydrogen sulfide gas. In recent years, we experienced 17 autopsy cases of fatal hydrogen sulfide poisoning due to the inhalation of intentionally generated hydrogen sulfide gas. In this study, the concentrations of sulfide and thiosulfate in blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and pleural effusion were examined using GC/MS.

Sudden death involving inhalation of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a) with spray cleaner: three case reports.

Spray cleaner is a cleaning product containing compressed 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a) to blow dust off electric devices and other sensitive equipment; however, it is also inhaled to induce euphoria. This report describes three cases of death involving HFC-152a inhalation with spray cleaner under different circumstances. In case 1, death was during inhalation for euphoria with which led to having frostbite.

Potential medical adverse events associated with death: a forensic pathology perspective.

Objective: To determine the incidence of potential medical adverse events among patients undergoing forensic autopsy, and to present the characteristics of potential medical adverse events.

Design: Retrospective review of consecutive autopsy records.

Setting: Department of Forensic Medicine, the Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Segmental arterial mediolysis of varying phases affecting both the intra-abdominal and intracranial vertebral arteries: an autopsy case report.

We report an autopsy case of segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) of various phases occurring in both the intracranial vertebral artery (IVA) and intra-abdominal arteries. The patient was a 70-year-old male found dead in his house. The cause of death was massive intra-abdominal hemorrhage owing to a ruptured right gastroepiploic artery.

Differential diagnosis between traumatic and nontraumatic rupture of the intracranial vertebral artery in medicolegal autopsy.

We attempted to establish histopathological identification between traumatic rupture and nontraumatic arterial dissection of the intracranial vertebral artery (IVA) resulting in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Step-serial observations of ruptured IVAs among four traumatic and 44 nontraumatic SAH patients were investigated. We found that the most specific characteristic for differentiation was the shape of the ruptured adventitia.

Fatal vascular injury as a result of operations: experience of two surgery-related autopsies.

We experienced two autopsy cases of unexpected death during surgical operation. Case 1 was a 60-year-old male. Salvage esophagectomy was performed from the right side of the thrax.

Intracranial vertebral artery dissection resulting in fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage: clinical and histopathological investigations from a medicolegal perspective.

Object: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to a ruptured intracranial vertebral artery (VA) dissection sometimes results in a sudden fatal outcome. The authors analyzed the relationship between clinical features and histopathological characteristics among fatal cases to establish valuable information for clinical diagnostics and prophylaxis.

Methods: This study included 58 medicolegal autopsy cases of ruptured intracranial VA dissection among 553 fatal nontraumatic cases of SAH that occurred between January 2000 and December 2007.

Risk factors, diagnosis and prevention of sudden unexpected infant death.

The diagnosis of the cause of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is often difficult work for forensic pathologists. Its misdiagnosis or misclassification is the cause of crucial epidemiological and medicolegal problems. During the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) epidemic, many reports described the risk factors of SIDS as well as mechanical suffocation during sleep.

Sudden death due to undiagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia: a case report.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is associated with severe hemorrhagic coagulopathy induced by the release of procoagulant, plasminogen, and protease from leukemic cells. The case described in this report is of a 15-year-old male who unexpectedly died due to a cerebral hemorrhage caused by underlying APL within 12 h after presentation. This case suggests that underlying APL should be considered as a differential diagnosis when sudden death occurs with a fatal spontaneous hemorrhage, although it is rare.

Analysis of fatal injuries to motorcyclists by helmet type.

To clarify the characteristics of injuries of motorcyclists dying in accidents in relation to helmet type, we retrospectively analyzed forensic autopsies of 36 helmeted motorcycle riders. The presence of major injuries and injury severity were evaluated with the injury severity score and the 1990 revision of the Abbreviated Injury Scale. Persons with open-face helmets (19 cases) were significantly more likely to have sustained severe head and neck injuries, especially brain contusions, than were persons with full-face helmets (17 cases).

Age-associated decrease in 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) immunoreactivity in the autopsied brain.

The 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is a DNA base modified by reactive oxygen species (NOS). The 8-OHdG has been shown to be generated in the brain during ischemia-reperfusion. We performed the immunohistochemical study of 8-OHdG in the brains of autopsied specimens.

Prediction of injuries to the heart and thoracic aorta in unrestrained drivers.

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors predicting injuries to the heart and/or thoracic aorta (H/TA) of unrestrained drivers in frontal motor vehicle collisions. We retrospectively analyzed findings of forensic autopsies of 37 unrestrained drivers of automobiles without airbags involved in frontal collisions. Mechanisms of injury, injury severity, presence of major injuries, and the number of fractured ribs were examined in each case.

Trends in early and late deaths due to motor vehicle accidents in Japan.

To clarify trends and urban-rural differences in the early death rate (deaths within 24 h divided by the deaths within 1 year after motor vehicle accident x100 [%]) due to motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) in Japan. Mortality data were collected from the annual statistics of traffic accident research and vital statistics in Japan from 1980 through 1998 and analyzed. Early death rates were nearly constant (73.