Citation

Charlier P, Coffy M, Delyle SG, Huynh I, Alvarez JC, Durigon M, de la Grandmaison GL. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2011; 32(3): 287-290.

Affiliation

Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Paris-Ouest University, AP-HP/UVSQ, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches; Laboratory of Medical Ethics and Legal Medicine, University of Paris, Paris; Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Paris-Ouest University, AP-HP/UVSQ, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches; and Department of Radiodiagnostic, CHU Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0b013e318221ba8d

PMID

21725226

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and nature of cervical trauma in the case of low-height falls (up to 2.50 m). A retrospective study was carried out on 114 autopsy cases that died after low-height falls. For each case, age, sex, manner and cause of death, estimated height of fall, ground type, type of primary impact, type of laryngeal and hyoid bone trauma, presence of associated local trauma in the neck and cephalic region, and toxicological data were reported.Fractures of the hyoid bone and/or of the laryngeal cartilages were present in 2.5% of the cases (n = 3). Cervical soft tissue bruising was found in 13% of the cases (n = 15). About 6% of the cases (n = 7) showed blunt cervical vertebral column trauma, including 3 cases with ruptured intervertebral disk. Interpretation and mechanisms of these lesions are discussed.

Language: en