Forensic Pathologist Testimony, Part 1: Common Questions and Considerations.

Introduction: Forensic pathologists are the only medical specialists who routinely testify in courts of law as part of their occupation. As such, one element of their training involves learning how to testify responsibly and competently. Individuals qualified as experts are permitted to offer opinions in order to assist the triers of fact.

Forensic Pathologist Testimony, Part 2: Special Issues and Considerations.

Introduction: Forensic pathologists routinely testify in courts of law as part of their occupation. As such, part of their training involves learning how to testify responsibly and competently. As experts, they are permitted to offer opinions in order to assist the triers of fact.

Decedents Found in Bathtubs.

We investigated deaths in bathtubs for criteria to assist in death certification. We reviewed 252 deaths in which the person was found dead in a bathtub/shower at home. We extracted cause, manner, age, clad or unclad, water in the bathtub, water running, and face submersion.

Cardiovascular Disease in Acute Cocaine Compared to Acute Fentanyl Intoxication Deaths.

Cocaine is the most common stimulant drug that causes death in Connecticut. Unlike opioid intoxication deaths, which largely correlate with dose/concentration, cocaine deaths occur more idiosyncratically, with mechanisms of death often related to underlying cardiovascular disease. We examined 78 sole acute cocaine and 306 sole acute fentanyl intoxication deaths to assess their association with cardiovascular disease.

Perforation of the Heart During Elective Removal of an Inferior Vena Cava Filter.

A common treatment for venous thromboembolic disease in patients with contraindications to anticoagulation includes placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. Temporary filters are available to avoid the risk of long-term permanent placement. A woman in her 60s with a history of uterine serous carcinoma presented to the emergency department with cardiac arrest following elective attempted IVC filter removal.

Femicide in the United States: A Study of Connecticut Autopsy and Death Investigation Data.

We examined the records of the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for all female homicides from 2012 to 2021 to ascertain the rate of femicide. The investigative data were subcategorized as femicides and nonfemicides. The records included autopsy, toxicology, and investigators' reports.

A Series of 8 Illicit Fentanyl Intoxication Deaths in Infants and Toddlers.

We report 8 children younger than 2 years who died from acute illicit fentanyl intoxications in Connecticut between 2020 and 2022.The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (CT OCME) investigates all unexpected, violent, and suspicious deaths in Connecticut. The CT OCME's electronic database was searched for fentanyl deaths by age.

The National Association of Medical Examiners Position Paper on the Investigation and Certification of Pediatric Deaths From Environmental Neglect.

Pediatric deaths that occur because of environmental neglect often involve 4 common scenarios: (1) hyperthermia due to environmental exposure, (2) ingestion of an accessible drug or poison, (3) unwitnessed/unsupervised drownings, and (4) unsafe sleep practices. Given the same fact pattern, the manner of death will vary from accident to homicide to undetermined based on local custom and/or the certifier's training and experience. Medical examiner/coroner death certifications are administrative public health determinations made for vital statistical purposes.

Assessing Neglect in Pediatric Environmental Deaths: A Survey of Manner of Death Determinations.

There are 4 common types of environmental pediatric deaths that may involve various degrees of neglect: hyperthermia, ingestion, drownings, and unsafe infant sleep practices. Because the circumstances surrounding each are disparate, there is no set of standards by which these factors may be weighed and interpreted. Given the same facts, the manner of death certification may differ depending upon training/experience and/or local practice.

Long-term results of per-operative knee arthroscopy in confirming suitability for unicompartmental arthroplasty.

Background: Patient selection is key to the success of medial unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA). Progression of arthritis is the most common indication for revision surgery. Per-operative arthroscopy is a means of directly assessing the integrity of the lateral compartment.

Autopsy Histopathologic Cardiac Findings in 2 Adolescents Following the Second COVID-19 Vaccine Dose.

Context.—: Myocarditis in adolescents has been diagnosed clinically following the administration of the second dose of an mRNA vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Objective.

Surgical interventions for treating extracapsular hip fractures in older adults: a network meta-analysis.

Background: Hip fractures are a major healthcare problem, presenting a challenge and burden to individuals and healthcare systems. The number of hip fractures globally is rising. The majority of extracapsular hip fractures are treated surgically.

Cephalomedullary nails versus extramedullary implants for extracapsular hip fractures in older adults.

Background: Hip fractures are a major healthcare problem, presenting a substantial challenge and burden to patients, healthcare systems and society. The increased proportion of older adults in the world population means that the absolute number of hip fractures is rising rapidly across the globe. Most hip fractures are treated surgically.

Total Hip Arthroplasty for Hip Fracture: Clinical Results and Mid-Term Survivorship.

Aim The purpose of this study is to report the clinical results and mid-term survivorship for total hip arthroplasty (THA) performed to treat displaced intracapsular hip fracture. Methods Between January 2005 and December 2019, 414 patients underwent THA for acute displaced intracapsular hip fracture. The mean age of patients was 73.

Epidemiology and autopsy findings of 500 drowning deaths.

Introduction: Drowning is a significant public health problem worldwide and the WHO reported that drowning is the world's third leading unintentional injury death. Nevertheless, there is still uncertainty regarding the estimate of local and global drowning deaths. In addition, the postmortem diagnosis of drowning is challenging and the physiological mechanisms of death by drowning are complex and not very well understood.

Improvements in Toxicology Testing to Identify Fentanyl Analogs and Other Novel Synthetic Opioids in Fatal Drug Overdoses, Connecticut, January 2016-June 2019.

Objectives: Drug overdose deaths in Connecticut increasingly involve a growing number of fentanyl analogs and other novel nonfentanyl synthetic opioids (ie, novel synthetics). Current postmortem toxicology testing methods often lack the sophistication needed to detect these compounds. We examined how improved toxicology testing of fatal drug overdoses can determine the prevalence and rapidly evolving trends of novel synthetics.