Case Report of an Autopsy of a Child Who Died in a Drum-Type Washing Machine Tub: Pathophysiology Resulting in Death and Assessment of Previous Literature.
Journal
The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology
ISSN: 1533-404X
Titre abrégé: Am J Forensic Med Pathol
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8108948
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Mar 2020
Mar 2020
Historique:
pubmed:
4
12
2019
medline:
20
2
2020
entrez:
3
12
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The patient was a 5-year-old boy who was found in a state of cardiorespiratory arrest in the tub of a washing machine without water with the door closed. The autopsy findings included severe facial congestion and petechiae of the facial skin and palpebral conjunctiva. Several organs exhibited congestion. Hemorrhagic spots were seen on the serous membranes of various organs, with particularly marked hemorrhagic spots seen on the lungs. The heart contained fluid blood without soft clots. There were no findings indicative of marked trauma, intoxication, or hyperthermia. The examination results suggested that asphyxia had occurred in this case. However, there were no findings indicative of cervical compression, oronasal obstruction, or the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract. Image analysis showed the child could make postural changes inside the washing machine tub. Consequently, impaired thoracic movement and postural asphyxia were considered unlikely to have occurred. The results of blood gas analysis showed no evidence of marked hypercapnia. We, therefore, concluded that the cause of the child's death was asphyxia due to hypoxia caused by being in a closed space, that is, a washing machine tub.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31789819
doi: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000521
pii: 00000433-202003000-00015
doi:
Types de publication
Case Reports
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
67-69Références
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