Citation

Das S, Neithiya T, Nirmal Kumar ES, Chaudhari VA, Srinivas BH. J. Forensic Med. Toxicol. 2022; 39(2): 130-133.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Department of Forensic Medicine)

DOI

10.5958/0974-4568.2022.00051.5

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Competitive video gaming (i.e., electronic sports or esports), in which one competes against other human players, has rooted itself into today's culture, especially amongst the younger demographic. Adolescents and young adults usually play for prolonged periods without taking any breaks. Among many modes of gaming, "Battle Royale" mode is an addictive one in which the participant is pitted against many other human players. We present a case in which a 16-year-old boy played a virtual reality first-person shooter game for a long duration and was found unresponsive at home. He was declared dead on arrival at our hospital. The postmortem examination revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage with intraventricular hemorrhage and pulmonary oedema. Histopathological examination of the brain had no evidence of aneurysms, art eriovenous mal formation or inflammation. We highlight the unique role of stress-related subarachnoid hemorrhage, which has a grave prognosis by itself. © 2022, Institute of Medico-legal Publication. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent; Article; autopsy; brain hemorrhage; case report; caudate nucleus; cerebrovascular accident; clinical article; drug abuse; Forensic pathology; game addiction; Gaming disorder; heart rate; histopathology; human; human tissue; Hypertension; inflammation; lung edema; male; mental disease; petechia; Stress; Subarachnoid haemorrhage; subarachnoid hemorrhage; sudden death; Sudden death; suicide