Citation

Klein A, Neumann L, Puschel K. Rechtsmedizin 2016; 26(3): 211-217.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00194-015-0068-8

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article presents two cases of unusual suicide by hanging of young men. These two cases have the typical ligature mark and hemorrhages in the soft tissues of the neck in common. Disruption of the laryngeal structures was also found as well as complete and partial ruptures of the carotid arteries, which are only rarely observed. By definition, Amussatʼs sign is a horizontal intimal tear of the carotid artery below the bifurcation and in combination with hemorrhages it provides evidence of intravital mechanisms during death or suicide by hanging. Asphyxiation due to blood aspiration following massive injuries to internal cervical structures was established as the cause of death; however, both cases were initially unusual because no rope or other implement was found near the body and one victim even survived the attempted suicide by hanging and covered a distance of 300 m before dying. Based on these cases of suicidal hanging, the occurrence of typical injuries to the neck due to strangulation, including Amussat's sign are discussed. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Language: de

Keywords

human; suicide; Suicide; Hanging; male; Asphyxia; case report; cause of death; suicide attempt; hanging; strangulation; victim; dying; larynx disorder; bleeding; neck injury; Article; carotid artery injury; carotid artery; Capacity to act; suffocation; amussats sign; artery rupture; Carotid artery injuries