Citation

Nair S, Jacob J, Aaron S, Thomas M, Joseph M, Alexander M. Indian J. Med. Sci. 2009; 63(2): 53-57.

Affiliation

Department of Neurological Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. mjoseph@cmcvellore.ac.in.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Indian Journal of Medical Sciences Trust, Publisher Medknow Publications)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19359767

Abstract

Objective : To assess the incidence of post-hanging pulmonary distress in cases of attempted suicidal hanging and predictors of outcome among these patients. Design : Five-year retrospective analysis. Setting: Tertiary care center in south India. Patients :A total of 335 patients who attempted suicidal hanging, aged above 16 years, were admitted during this period. Thirty-eight of them with pulmonary distress established clinically and with radiological evidence of pulmonary injury post hanging met the inclusion criteria. Measurements : Data from ICU records of 5 years, X-rays and laboratory investigations were reviewed. In patients identified to have post-hanging pulmonary distress, the neurological status, chest x-rays, arterial blood gas values and outcome data were collected and analyzed. Results : Eleven percent (n = 38) of the 335 patients admitted following attempted suicidal hanging were diagnosed to have post-hanging pulmonary distress. The overall mortality among post-hanging patients was 5%, which increased to 34.2% (n = 13) in the presence of pulmonary distress (P

Language: en