Citation

Kovelman I, Vey E, Schober J. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2010; 31(3): 273-277.

Affiliation

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA; Erie County Coroner's Office, Erie, PA; and Hamot Hospital, Erie, PA. Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181e13269

PMID

20512029

Abstract

Homicides exclusively due to genital trauma have not been widely reported, and anorectal trauma in sexual assaults is uncommon. We describe a case of a 45-year-old white woman who sustained devastating homicidal colorectal trauma that served as a primary cause of death in the setting of rape. Our patient sustained a 15-cm laceration of the anterior rectal wall and ultimately died of peritonitis and sepsis. Death from rectal perforation and sepsis in the setting of sexual assault is rare and has only been documented in 3 other cases, 2 pediatric patients and 1 elderly debilitated patient. Other representative and unique methods of perforation are reviewed along with a brief discussion of the development of peritonitis after perforating colorectal trauma.

Language: en