Suicide by Gunshot Wound to the Posterior Head and Neck: A Retrospective Case Series and Review of the Literature.

ABSTRACT: Suicide by firearm is a significant public health concern in specific regions of the world. Depending on firearm availability, any type of firearm may be used, including handguns, shotguns, and long rifles. Common entrance wound sites in suicidal gunshot wounds include the head, with classic gunshot wound locations including the temple, the forehead, the submental aspect of the chin, and inside the mouth. Occasionally, suicidal gunshot wounds occur in atypical body locations such as the back of the head and neck. Given their relative rarity, suicidal gunshot wounds in these regions may be mistaken for homicides. In this report, we present 5 cases of suicidal gunshot wounds to the back of the head and/or neck. In our series, we focus on differentiating each case from homicides involving gunshot wounds in similar areas of the head and neck.

Medicolegal Death Investigation of Railroad-Related Fatalities.

ABSTRACT: Railroad-related fatalities in the United States are increasing. A paucity of literature exists regarding the medicolegal death investigation of railroad-related deaths. We report on a subset of deaths in western Michigan, propose protocols for investigating train-related deaths, and propose a stepwise approach for the medicolegal investigation of railroad-related fatalities. Fourteen railroad-related fatalities from 2015 to 2019 were reviewed. Each case was analyzed for demographics, investigative components, train variables, and death certification. The average age was 32 years. Nine decedents involved pedestrians versus trains, and 5 involved motor vehicles versus trains. Male victims were more common, and 50% of the cases were associated with mental illness or recent stressors. Accident was the most common manner of death. With the exception of basic weather conditions, the remaining investigative variables were rarely reported. Image and audio recordings were taken in 3 cases, but railroad companies refused to allow the recordings to be viewed by the medical examiner. We conclude that in addition to a thorough medicolegal death scene investigation and postmortem examination, audio/video recordings are crucial components of death certification in railroad-related fatalities and advocate that medical examiners/coroners be given the legal right to view and retain them.

Cutaneous skin defects overlying tangential gunshot wounds: A case series.

In examining deaths resulting from gunshot wounds, it is important to describe the wound pathway created by the projectile. Forensic pathologists must identify all entrance and exit wounds and account for all projectiles. Occasionally, confusion arises as to whether a skin defect represents an entrance wound or not, an exit wound, or some other type of wound. Herein, we propose the descriptor "bullet track skin defect" as a formal description for a superficial skin defect created along the pathway of a projectile within the body. Specifically, we define the "bullet track skin defect" as a partial- or full-thickness skin defect produced by a projectile traveling beneath the skin in a relatively tangential fashion as part of a wound pathway within the body. It is somewhat analogous to a traditional graze or superficial tangential wound, wherein the projectile traveling outside the body strikes the skin tangentially from above, without entering the body. However, the projectile is already traveling within the body with the bullet track skin defect, disrupting the skin tangentially from below rather than from above, without exiting the body. Although these defects are not a common presentation of gunshot wounds, they are certainly not rare. With this case series, we suggest that such defects may be referred to as "bullet track skin defects." Alternative language that can substitute for "bullet track skin defects" includes "bullet track skin wounds" or "bullet track cutaneous defects."

P3a amplitude to trauma-related stimuli reduced after successful trauma-focused PTSD treatment.

An elevated P3a amplitude to trauma-related stimuli is strongly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet little is known about whether this response to trauma-related stimuli is affected by treatment that decreases PTSD symptoms. As an analysis of secondary outcome measures from a randomized controlled trial, we investigated the latency and amplitude changes of the P3a in responses in a three-condition oddball visual task that included trauma-related (combat scenes) and trauma-unrelated (threatening animals) distractors. Fifty-five U.S. veterans diagnosed with combat-related PTSD were randomized to receive either active or sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). All received cognitive processing therapy, CPT+A, which requires a written account of the index trauma. They were tested before and 6 months after protocol completion. P3a amplitude and response time decreases were driven largely by the changes in the responses to the trauma-related stimuli, and this decrease correlated to the decrease in PTSD symptoms. The amplitude changes were greater in those who received rTMS + CPT than in those who received sham rTMS + CPT, suggesting that rTMS plays beneficial role in reducing arousal and threat bias, which may allow for more effective engagement in trauma-focused PTSD treatment.

Iatrogenic Incarcerated Diaphragmatic Hernia after Nissen Fundoplication.

Postoperative iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernias have been reported sparingly after several thoracic and abdominal surgeries. Although rare, a delay in diagnosis can lead to life-threatening cases of strangulation or perforation, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory insufficiency. This is a case of a 78-year-old female who developed acute obstructive symptoms secondary to herniation of the distal stomach through a defect in the central tendon of the diaphragm. The diaphragmatic defect was presumed to be iatrogenically acquired after Nissen fundoplication one year prior. Other etiologies were not as likely considering that she had never had any trauma to her chest or abdomen and had no history suggestive of a congenital nature for the diaphragmatic hernia. The hernia was successfully decompressed laparoscopically with the stomach having ischemic changes along the greater curvature, necessitating gastric wedge resection. The diaphragmatic defect, which was lengthened to reduce the edematous incarcerated stomach, was repaired primarily. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. This case highlights the potential complication of incarcerated diaphragmatic hernia after Nissen fundoplication. Late diagnosis of iatrogenic diaphragmatic hernias is frequent because of nonspecific symptoms and surgery is indicated at the time of diagnosis.

Biomarkers in descending thoracic aortic dissection.

The clinical application of serum biomarkers (d-dimer, C-reactive protein) to predict the natural history of descending thoracic aortic dissection remains elusive. In this review, our current understanding of biomarkers in descending thoracic aortic dissection detection, predicting complications, and aiding in patient management is discussed.