Citation

Boxho P. J. Med. Leg. Droit Med. 2000; 43(2): 121-125.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Masson)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A 27-year old man dies of a hypovolemical shock by vomiting nine days after ingesting two 20 franc coins, a piece of knife and a piece of fork, both made of plastic. A piece of plastic fork is discovered in the middle of vomited blood, coated with an organised clot. The plastic fork perforated the oesophagus where it was stuck after being swallowed. The oesophagus probably contracted around the fragment, in particular whenever the victim swallowed, which caused the perforation of the oesophagus together with the perforation of the aorta. Blood flowed from the aorta into the oesophagus and filled the stomach, which emptied several times causing hypovolemia which originated death.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; aorta rupture; article; case report; esophagus perforation; human; hypovolemic shock; Hypovolemical shock; ingestion; Ingestion of objects; male; Perforated aorta; plastic; suicide attempt; victim; vomiting