Citation

Porzionato A, Macchi V, Rodriguez D, De Caro R. Forensic Sci. Int. 2007; 171(1): e15-20.

Affiliation

Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 65, 35127 Padova, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.05.003

PMID

17573217

Abstract

We present two cases of autopsy detection of laryngeal masses with medico-legal implications. The first is a 56-year-old man who died suddenly of asphyxia due to upper airway obstruction caused by a large glosso-epiglottic retention cyst and glottic oedema. Hypothesis of medical liability was raised, due to delayed tracheotomy as the result of repeated failed attempts at oral intubation by various physicians. Difficult oral intubation due to the presence of a laryngeal mass in an asphyxiating subject requires rapid tracheotomy. The second case deals with a 43-year-old woman who died of asphyxia due to airway obstruction, as a result of injury of a cavernous laryngeal haemangioma after homicidal manual strangulation, with severe haemorrhagic infiltration of the surrounding soft tissues. Damage to laryngeal/hypopharyngeal masses should be considered as a possible sign of manual strangulation, as well as neck skin bruises/abrasions and laryngeal haemorrhages.

Language: en