Citation

Amadasi A, Buschmann CT, Tsokos M. Forensic Sci. Med. Pathol. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12024-019-00210-6

PMID

31845179

Abstract

In some rare cases of hanging, the so-called 'hangman's fracture' is observed. This occurs when a fall from height is associated with hanging, e.g. capital executions. We describe the case of an 81-year-old man who committed suicide by jumping off a bridge, with a rope wrapped around his neck. The combination of hanging and falling caused a series of bone fractures to the cervical spine and the hyoid bone, leading to dislocation of the vertebral column and multiple bone fragments, producing peculiar patterns. Computed tomography also identified a transverse full-thickness fracture of the dens, which is a rare event. This case highlights specific injuries associated with the combination of hanging and falling, and underlines the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in terms of radiological examination and complete autopsy.

Language: en

Keywords

Fall from height; Forensic pathology; Hanging; Hangman’s fracture; Neck injuries