Forensic Analysis of 72 Cases with Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome Caused by Traffic Accidents.

ABSTRACT: Objective To investigate the epidemiological and forensic characteristics of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome （MODS） after severe trauma and explore the reference indexes for determining traumatic MODS. Methods In terms of the number of organs or systems involved in MODS, the number of failures of each organ or system, the first failing organ and the survival time after organ failure, 72 cases of MODS death caused by traffic accidents were retrospectively analyzed. The cases were divided into two groups according to the mean injury severity score （ISS）. The t test was used to analyze the differences in the number of organs or systems involved in MODS in the two groups. Chi-square test was used to analyze the differences in the types of first failing organs and the differences between the two groups in the number of cases of organ or system failure involved in MODS. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze the differences between the two groups in survival time of MODS after trauma. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was drawn and Log-Rank test was performed. Results The number of MODS involved organs or systems after trauma in ISS≤35 group was 3-5, and 2-4 in the ISS>35 group （P<0.05）. The cases of MODS organ or system failure after trauma occurred more in brain and lung in the two groups. The first failing organ after trauma was mainly the lung or kidney. The median time of first organ failure after trauma was 2.00 d, the median survival time of MODS after trauma in ISS≤35 group was 6.00 d, and 2.33 d in ISS>35 group （P<0.05）. The survival curve of ISS≤35 group was relatively high and declined gradually, while the survival curve of ISS>35 group was relatively low and the decline was steep （P<0.05）. Conclusion The epidemiological and forensic characteristics of MODS caused by traffic accidents have certain specificity. The ISS and the forensic characteristics of MODS at ISS>35 can be used as reliable reference indexes for evaluation of the causal relationship among trauma, MODS and death.

Clinical feature analysis of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism: experiences from 41 autopsy-confirmed cases.

AIM: Due to non-specific symptoms and imaging features, a timely and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is often difficult. This study aims to evaluate the frequency of, and risk factors for, autopsy-confirmed cases with fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (FPE) that were missed or misdiagnosed before death. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forensic autopsies that were performed at the Center of Forensic Medicine in West China were retrospectively reviewed, and demographic and clinical data of autopsy-confirmed cases with FPE were collected. RESULTS: There were 41 cases with pathologically confirmed FPE, which represents 7.3% (41/558) of autopsy cases that documented sudden death in hospital. Of those 41 cases, only 14.6% (6/41) were correctly diagnosed before death, and 85.4% (35/41) were missed or misdiagnosed. According to medical records, bowel movements and out-of-bed activity were the major triggers of FPE death, and 90% of cases had at least two of the known risk factors for PTE. Increasing age, orthopedic surgery, and multiple traumas were the most common risk factors. Additionally, of the 41 cases with FPE, 51.2% (21/41) died in the Orthopedic Department. CONCLUSIONS: FPE was common in older patients who had a recent history of surgery and multiple traumas. Increasing the early diagnosis of PTE in high-risk patients may be useful for reducing the incidence of FPE.