Citation

Hayakawa A, Terazawa K, Matoba K, Horioka K, Fukunaga T. Forensic Sci. Int. 2017; 273: 102-105.

Affiliation

Tokyo Medical Examiner's Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.02.017

PMID

28260644

Abstract

In this study, electrolyte (sodium (Na), chlorine (Cl), and magnesium (Mg)) and total protein (TP) concentrations and volume of liquid in the sphenoid sinus were examined to determine their usefulness to elucidate whether drowning occurred in freshwater or seawater. We examined 68 cases (seawater drowning group: 27 cases, freshwater drowning group: 21 cases, non-drowning group: 20 cases). There was a significant difference in Na, Cl, Mg, and TP concentrations of liquid in the sphenoid sinus among the three groups (seawater drowning, freshwater drowning, and non-drowning groups). To distinguish freshwater drowning from seawater drowning, Na, Cl, and Mg concentrations of liquid in the sphenoid sinus might serve as useful indicators.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Drowning; Electrolyte; Forensic biochemistry; Forensic diagnosis; Liquid in sphenoid sinus; Total protein