Filter mask as a new candidate of personal belonging used in cadaver identification - a case report.

The case report presents an identification process based on DNA isolated from personal belongings, including a filter mask. In May 2021, an unidentified 65-year-old male corpse was revealed by the city's outskirts road. Since it was impossible to use material from living relatives for comparative analysis, the samples of personal belongings of the alleged victim were used instead: clippings of the filtering face piece type 2 (FFP2) face mask (parts adhering to the nose and the earlobes, the central part of the mask), swabs from the razor (blade and shaft), toothbrush shaft, and toothbrush filaments clippings.

Time-related morphometric studies on CD34 protein expression in the cerebral blood vessels after fatal brain contusions.

In our previous work, we have discussed the importance of neurofilaments in determination of the age of brain contusions. The purpose of this paper is to examine a possibility of angiogenesis-related assessment of the age of brain contusions by means of morphometric analysis of the CD34 expression in the contused sites. The researched material comprised 90 cases divided into nine groups according to the time of death: immediately on the spot, 12 hours, 24 hours, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days, and 7 days after the head trauma.

Traumatic basal subarachnoid haemorrhage or ruptured brain aneurysm in 16-year-old boy? - case report.

Traumatic basal subarachnoid haemorrhage (TBSAH) represents only 1.8% of all subarachnoid haemorrhage cases diagnosed during autopsy. This report presents such a case from the current practice of the authors.

Histopathological changes in lungs of the mountain snow avalanche victims and its potential usefulness in determination of cause and mechanism of death.

On 28 January 2003 snow avalanche in the Polish Tatras happened, in which 8 people died and 5 were injured. We tried to determine cause and manner of death in 6 fatal victims instead of advanced late post mortem changes in internal organs. Taking into consideration the circumstances of death, we paid special attention to histopathological examination of lungs, extended by Gomori's and AZAN staining.

[A unique case of malignant neoplasm--choriocarcinoma in a 24-year-old man--difficulties in differential diagnostics of intracranial injuries in the aspect of medicolegal opinion].

Differential diagnostics of pathologic and traumatic lesions based on image techniques may in some cases cause serious difficulties or even be the cause of a medical error resulting in incorrect medicolegal opinion. The authors present a unique case of primary malignant neoplasm of the testicle (choriocarcinoma) in a 24-year-old man. Several days after the event, he was admitted to Department of Neurology with CT-confirmed traumatic intracerebral hematoma communicating with the ventricular system.

[Employment of auditory brainstem responses in verification and objectification of impairment of hearing in criminal legal proceedings].

There are numerous subjective and objective diagnostic methods which allow for assessing the degree of the hearing loss and its anatomical location. Despite widespread availability of those methods, especially the subjective ones, such as pure tone audiometry or speech audiometry, diagnostic errors still frequently occur. They may lead to drawing false conclusions and issuing a fallacious medicolegal expert opinion, which obviously aggravates the situation of the defendant.

[The evaluation of the mechanism and cause of death of mine rescuers during the group accident in the Niwka-Modrzejów Coal Mine in Sosnowiec in 1998].

On February 24, 1998, in the Niwka-Modrzej6w Coal Mine in Sosnowiec, a group accident occurred and, as a result, six miners died and four others were injured. Mine rescuers, proceeding to work in out of action mining excavation, separated by an isolative dam, were using oxygen escape breathing apparatuses AU-9 type and oxygen breathing apparatuses for work WU-70 type. A comprehensive evaluation of the accident circumstances, medical papers, autopsy, histopatological and chemico-toxicological reports, technical surveys of the Central Station of Mine Rescue and the Military Institution of Chemistry and Radiometry (WIChiR), taking into consideration the microclimatic conditions in the sidewalk and testimonies of the survivors allowed for determining the cause of death in the victims.

[Neurosis as a mental disease--controversies surrounding insurance certification].

In the years 2008-2009, experts from the Department of Forensic Medicine in Katowice issued a dozen of expert opinions on the nature of the neurosis, addressing the question whether neurosis is a mental disease as understood under the general insurance conditions or whether neurosis is a mental disease as such. All the submitted cases involved policemen who had been diagnosed as neurotic and were refused insurance payments since the insurance company claimed payments could not have been effected due to the diagnosis of mental disease, meaning neurosis in the discussed cases. The plaintiffs invoked the fact that medical terminology describes such states as "mental disorders".

[An unusual case of gunshot wounds caused with an air gun].

A 28-year-old woman was shot in the face with an air gun while driving a car. The patient was examined in the Department of Forensic Medicine in Katowice. An inconspicuous scar was found near the medial angle of the right eye.

[Medico-legal assessment of the injuries of fatal victims of building collapse at Katowice International Fair in Katowice/Chorzów on January 28, 2006].

On January 28, 2006, during an exhibition of carrier pigeons, the roof of one of the buildings at Katowice International Fair collapsed. At the time of accident, there were 700 people in the building--65 died and 171 were injured. It was the biggest building disaster in the history of modern Poland.

[A remarkable case of diagnostic difficulties in chronic hepatic pathology caused by a metabolic disorder (Wilson's disease)--evaluation of medical management].

Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder. It is characterized by excessive copper deposits--mainly in parenchymal organs--leading to their damage and serious dysfunction. Because of its uncommonness, slow and insidious course and diversified clinical manifestation, diagnosing the condition is not easy, even for experienced physicians.

[A serious group accident in Zabrze-Bielszowice Coal Mine--medico-legal evaluation of health consequences for the purpose of criminal proceedings].

On February 23/24, 2003, in Zabrze-Bielszowice coal mine, 840 m below the surface, a methane blast occurred twice. In group accidents, a total number of 35 miners were injured; the majority of them experienced extensive thermal injuries. The authors compiled a list of body injuries, including their character, severity, initial clinical assessment and types of employed medical procedures, taking into consideration also medical certification of the Social Insurance and results of medico-legal examinations of the miners.

[Thromboembolic complications in orthopedic surgery--medico-legal assessment in evaluation of correctness of medical treatment in selected cases].

Thromboembolic events continue to account for a high percentage of complications after orthopedic surgery. Of significance in prevention of these diseases is appropriate pharmacotherapeutic prophylaxis, both pre and postoperative, as well as orthopedic and trauma surgeons being aware of the risk of such complications and of possibilities of avoiding or minimizing thromboembolic events. The authors present some cases that were certified in Chair of Forensic Medicine, Silesian Medical University in Katowice, in which thromboembolic complications did develop after conservative or surgical orthopedic treatment, emphasizing possible difficulties in unequivocal assessment of the cause-effect relationship between the employed treatment and the thromboembolic event in the aspect of medico-legal certification.

[Medico-legal assessment of medical management in "chest pain" cases based on the review of cases analyzed in the Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, in the years 2000-2006].

Among all investigations aiming at assessing medical management carried out in our department between 2000 and 2006, the cases of "chest pain" constituted the largest percentage. In 70% of such cases, the employed medical procedures were found to be incorrect; what might be qualified as medical decisive errors, committed in rescue ambulances, outpatient clinics or in admission rooms. The authors present some examples of causes of such incorrect management strategies, such as neglecting proper and profound clinical examination (with medical history taking); lack or incomplete differential diagnosis; failure to observe appropriate critical attitude and prudence; focusing only on one, most common disease.

Case-study of fatal gunshot wounds from non-lethal projectiles.

The authors present a case of the death of a 60-year-old man shot using rubber projectiles that were fired by a police officer from a Mossberg smooth-bore shotgun in an enclosed space from a distance of a few metres. The post-mortem examination revealed that death had been due to gunshot wounds in the chest which had caused heart and lung damage with subsequent massive internal haemorrhaging.

[Differentiation possibilities in posttraumatic neuropsychiatric disorders in medico-legal certification].

This paper is a continuation of the previous work entitled "Difficulties in estimation of posttraumatic neuropsychiatric disorders for the purpose of criminal and civil law proceedings" presented during the 5th National Symposium "Days of Medical Certification", Poznan 2005. Referring to the then mentioned problem, the authors present in a greater detail the possibilities of objectivization of claims using simple psychiatric and psychological diagnostic tools

[On the causes of medical errors in life-threatening conditions--a medico-legal assessment based on the material of the chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, collected between 2000 and the end of June, 2006].

The authors analyzed the medico-legal opinions on medical management issued by the Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine Katowice between 2000 and the end of June 2006. Among 101 cases, in which medical errors were recognized, in 82 instances inappropriate medical management was associated with direct life-threatening conditions, such as acute cardiac syndrome, cerebrocranial injuries, cerebral an aortic aneurysms, pulmonary embolisms, acute abdominal diseases, such as perforated gastric and duodenal ulcers, appendicitis, post-traumatic rupture of the spleen, and acute metabolic disorders. The majority of errors was diagnostic in character and involved the staff of emergency services, admission rooms and detoxification centers.

[Problems in medical certification of posttraumatic neuropsychiatric disorders for the purpose of criminal and civil law proceedings].

In the past several years, in the material of Forensic Medicine Department, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, a significant increase has been noted in the number of cases associated with CNS dysfunctions, either as isolated conditions or in association with posttraumatic disorders. In the majority of cases, such dysfunctions were causally related to a head trauma. The Faculty of the Department are also requested with an increasing frequency to estimate the association between the observed neuro-psychiatric abnormalities and complaints and the undue exposure to a stress factor.

[Exposure to the risk of loss of life or detriment to health as a consequence of an organizational error--a case report].

Frequent changes in organization of the Polish health care sector observed over the past few years may lead to disruption of work in health care institutions, particularly in tertiary, highly specialist centers. Such a situation may result in decreasing the quality of services, what may potentially cause exposing the patient to the risk of death or severe detriment to health. To illustrate the problem, the authors present a case of a 45-year old man, where some organizational errors led to a delay in rendering medical care and in consequence to a poorer therapeutic outcome and poorer prognosis.

[Sudden cardiac death--difficulties in passing a medico-legal opinion for a civil or insurance claim].

Cases of sudden death without prior noticeable clinical symptoms and morphological indicators found at autopsy pose serious problems in medico-legal opinionating. Developing an expert opinion is practically impossible if the body has not been autopsied, as well as in cases, when no histopathological and chemical-toxicological tests have been performed. In the course of proceedings aiming at establishing a given event as a work accident and address the issue of compensation claim, courts of labor and insurance claims, as well as civil courts often demand determination of the cause of death by answering whether the demise resulted from a myocardial infarction or whether the death may be regarded as an accident at work.

[Iatrogenic biliary ducts lesions after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a medical technical error or a therapeutic failure in a routinely performed procedure. A medico-legal evaluation of selected cases].

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to cholelithiasis is associated with a higher risk of intraoperative lesions of biliary duct in comparison to classic surgery. Technical difficulties, a limited access to operating area, the presence of cholecystic adhesions and inflammatory lesions, as well as possible anomalies or anatomical variations of the extrahepatic biliary ducts pose the risk of damaging the biliary tract. At times, laparoscopic procedures are performed by surgeons with insufficient operator skills and qualifications.

[A rare case of internal carotid artery injury during palatine tonsillectomy in a religious sect believer (a Jehovah's Witness)].

The report presents the case of a 35-year-old woman, a Jehovah's Witness, who died due to undiagnosed internal carotid artery injury and subsequent exsanguination following a palatine tonsillectomy.

[Double ritual murder by the Satanist cult members based on the casuistry of the Forensic Medicine Department in Katowice].

In recent years, an increased activity of various sects, especially Satanist ones, has been observed in Poland. This is associated with an increase in the number of various crimes, including offences against life and health. The ideology of Satanism came to Poland in the early eighties of the last century, along with heavy metal music and its variants.

[Remarks about the position of the medico-legal expert in imperative regulations in the Penal and Civil Codes].

In the monograph 'Medico-legal opinions--essays on theory', prof. K. Jaegermann wrote that 'the use of an expert requires theoretical or fairly clear knowledge about the mutual relationship between judge and expert'.

[About possible differences between the tables of the Minister of Labor and Social Politics and Insurances Companies regarding differences in estimating health impairment].

The aim of this paper was to pay attention to the difficulties and possible differences between the experts in medico-legal opinions. The problems are due to the lack of equality in opinion criteria about the extent of impairment. According to the authors the enclosure available to the Minister of Labor and Social Politics needs modifications.