TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - The Association between Laminectomy and Drug Overdose Deaths: A Matched Case-Control Study
JO  - Academic forensic pathology
A1  - Inusah, S.
A1  - Griffin, R.L.
A1  - Gorman, E.F.
A1  - Davis, G.G.
A1  - McGwin, G.
SP  - 662
EP  - 666
VL  - 5
IS  - 4
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between death due to drug overdose and a history of laminectomy. <br><br>DESIGN: A retrospective matched case-control study of 234 drug overdose decedents from the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office in Birmingham, Alabama were matched 1:2 on age to a control group consisting of decedents with any manner of death (accident, natural, suicide, homicide, or undetermined). Laminectomy cases were identified by the presence of a linear surgical scar near the spine in an orientation and place typical for a laminectomy. <br><br>RESULTS: Decedents whose cause of death was a drug overdose were 2.43 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-4.31) more likely to have a laminectomy scar compared to decedents in a control group consisting of all manners of death. This association held for males (odds ratio [OR] 2.34; 95% CI: 1.09-5.04) and whites (OR 2.35; 95% CI 1.06-5.18) after stratification. <br><br>CONCLUSION: In the absence of an obvious cause for death, the presence of a laminectomy scar suggests the possibility of a fatal overdose and is a factor to consider in favor of performing an autopsy and toxicological analysis for drugs of abuse. © 2015 Academic Forensic Pathology International.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1925-3621
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.23907/2015.070
ID  - ref1
ER  -