Skip to main content
Erschienen in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology 3/2015

01.09.2015 | Editorial

Immersion deaths and drowning: issues arising in the investigation of bodies recovered from water

verfasst von: Roger W. Byard

Erschienen in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology | Ausgabe 3/2015

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Excerpt

Drowning has been described in various ways however it generally refers to death within 24 h of a submersion incident, with “near drowning” as survival for at least 24 h after the incident [1]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) “drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid” [2]. The diagnosis is one of exclusion that requires a detailed history of a victim being found in or near water with no potentially lethal diseases/injuries present, unless these have initiated the drowning episode. Unfortunately, although the diagnosis of drowning may seem relatively straightforward, this may be far from the case. For example in unwitnessed cases questions may never be resolved concerning the exact circumstances and manner of death. It is also likely that official statistics on drowning deaths are underestimates [3]. …
Literatur
1.
Zurück zum Zitat Zuckerman GB, Conway EE. Drowning and near drowning: a pediatric epidemic. Pediatr Ann. 2000;29:360–6.PubMedCrossRef Zuckerman GB, Conway EE. Drowning and near drowning: a pediatric epidemic. Pediatr Ann. 2000;29:360–6.PubMedCrossRef
2.
Zurück zum Zitat van Beeck EF, Branche CM, Szpilman D, Modell JH, Bierens JJ. A new definition of drowning; towards documentation and prevention of a global public health problem. Bull World Health Organ. 2005;83:853–6.PubMedCentralPubMed van Beeck EF, Branche CM, Szpilman D, Modell JH, Bierens JJ. A new definition of drowning; towards documentation and prevention of a global public health problem. Bull World Health Organ. 2005;83:853–6.PubMedCentralPubMed
3.
Zurück zum Zitat Lu TH, Lunetta P, Walker S. Quality of cause-of-death reporting using ICD-10 drowning codes; a descriptive study of 69 countries. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2010;10:30.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef Lu TH, Lunetta P, Walker S. Quality of cause-of-death reporting using ICD-10 drowning codes; a descriptive study of 69 countries. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2010;10:30.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
4.
Zurück zum Zitat Winskog C. Underwater disaster victim identification: the process and the problems. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2012;8:174–8.PubMedCrossRef Winskog C. Underwater disaster victim identification: the process and the problems. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2012;8:174–8.PubMedCrossRef
5.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW, James RA, Gilbert JD. Diagnostic problems associated with cadaveric trauma from animal activity. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2002;23:238–44.PubMedCrossRef Byard RW, James RA, Gilbert JD. Diagnostic problems associated with cadaveric trauma from animal activity. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2002;23:238–44.PubMedCrossRef
6.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW, Simpson E, Both K. The identification of submerged skeletonised remains. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2008;29:69–71.PubMedCrossRef Byard RW, Simpson E, Both K. The identification of submerged skeletonised remains. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2008;29:69–71.PubMedCrossRef
7.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW, Houldsworth G, James RA, Gilbert JD. Characteristic features of suicidal drownings. A 20 year study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2001;22:134–8.PubMedCrossRef Byard RW, Houldsworth G, James RA, Gilbert JD. Characteristic features of suicidal drownings. A 20 year study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2001;22:134–8.PubMedCrossRef
8.
Zurück zum Zitat Bell GS, Gaitatzis A, Bell CL, Johnson AL, Sander JW. Drowning in people with epilepsy: how great is the risk? Neurology. 2008;71:578–82.PubMedCrossRef Bell GS, Gaitatzis A, Bell CL, Johnson AL, Sander JW. Drowning in people with epilepsy: how great is the risk? Neurology. 2008;71:578–82.PubMedCrossRef
9.
Zurück zum Zitat Smith NM, Byard RW, Bourne AJ. Death during immersion in water in childhood. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 1991;12:219–21.PubMedCrossRef Smith NM, Byard RW, Bourne AJ. Death during immersion in water in childhood. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 1991;12:219–21.PubMedCrossRef
10.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW. Sudden death in the young. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2010.CrossRef Byard RW. Sudden death in the young. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2010.CrossRef
12.
Zurück zum Zitat Orlowski JP, Abulleil MM, Phillips JM. The hemodynamic and cardiovascular effects of near-drowning in hypotonic, isotonic, or hypertonic solutions. Ann Emerg Med. 1989;18:1044–9.PubMedCrossRef Orlowski JP, Abulleil MM, Phillips JM. The hemodynamic and cardiovascular effects of near-drowning in hypotonic, isotonic, or hypertonic solutions. Ann Emerg Med. 1989;18:1044–9.PubMedCrossRef
13.
Zurück zum Zitat Modell JH. Pathophysiology of drowning and near drowning. Springfield: Charles C Thomas; 1971. Modell JH. Pathophysiology of drowning and near drowning. Springfield: Charles C Thomas; 1971.
14.
Zurück zum Zitat Szpilman D, Bierens JJLM, Handley AJ, Orlowski JP. Drowning. N Engl J Med. 2012;366:2102–10.PubMedCrossRef Szpilman D, Bierens JJLM, Handley AJ, Orlowski JP. Drowning. N Engl J Med. 2012;366:2102–10.PubMedCrossRef
15.
Zurück zum Zitat Prahlow J, Byard RW. An Atlas of forensic pathology. New York: Springer; 2012.CrossRef Prahlow J, Byard RW. An Atlas of forensic pathology. New York: Springer; 2012.CrossRef
16.
Zurück zum Zitat Bedford PJ, Tsokos M. The occurrence of cadaveric spasm is a myth. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2013;9:244–8.PubMedCrossRef Bedford PJ, Tsokos M. The occurrence of cadaveric spasm is a myth. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2013;9:244–8.PubMedCrossRef
18.
Zurück zum Zitat Dettling J, Schönberg S, Schwarz F. Lehrbuch der Gerichtlichen Medizin. Basel: Karger; 1951. p. 300. Dettling J, Schönberg S, Schwarz F. Lehrbuch der Gerichtlichen Medizin. Basel: Karger; 1951. p. 300.
19.
Zurück zum Zitat Ponsold AE. In: Ponsold A, editor. Lehrbuch der Gerichtlichen Medizin einschliesslich der ärztlichen Rechtskunde und der Versicherungsmedizin. Stuttgart: Thieme; 1957. p. 375–87. Ponsold AE. In: Ponsold A, editor. Lehrbuch der Gerichtlichen Medizin einschliesslich der ärztlichen Rechtskunde und der Versicherungsmedizin. Stuttgart: Thieme; 1957. p. 375–87.
20.
Zurück zum Zitat Tsokos M, Cains G, Byard RW. Hemolytic staining of the intima of the aortic root in freshwater drowning – a retrospective study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2008;29:128–30.PubMedCrossRef Tsokos M, Cains G, Byard RW. Hemolytic staining of the intima of the aortic root in freshwater drowning – a retrospective study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2008;29:128–30.PubMedCrossRef
21.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW, Cains G, Tsokos M. Haemolytic staining of the intima of the aortic root—a useful pathological marker of fresh water drowning? J Clin Forensic Med. 2006;12:125–8.CrossRef Byard RW, Cains G, Tsokos M. Haemolytic staining of the intima of the aortic root—a useful pathological marker of fresh water drowning? J Clin Forensic Med. 2006;12:125–8.CrossRef
22.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW, Machado A, McLelland D. Endobronchial sand casts – an unusual marker of saltwater inhalation in a juvenile pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2011;7:222–4.PubMedCrossRef Byard RW, Machado A, McLelland D. Endobronchial sand casts – an unusual marker of saltwater inhalation in a juvenile pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2011;7:222–4.PubMedCrossRef
23.
Zurück zum Zitat Gettler AO. A method for the determination of death by drowning. J Am Med Assoc. 1921;77:1650–2.CrossRef Gettler AO. A method for the determination of death by drowning. J Am Med Assoc. 1921;77:1650–2.CrossRef
24.
Zurück zum Zitat DiMaio DJ, DiMaio VJM. Forensic pathology. 2nd ed. New York: Elsevier; 2001. DiMaio DJ, DiMaio VJM. Forensic pathology. 2nd ed. New York: Elsevier; 2001.
25.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW, Summersides G. Vitreous humor sodium levels in immersion deaths. J Forensic Sci. 2011;56:643–4.PubMedCrossRef Byard RW, Summersides G. Vitreous humor sodium levels in immersion deaths. J Forensic Sci. 2011;56:643–4.PubMedCrossRef
26.
Zurück zum Zitat Byard RW, Cains G, Simpson E, Eitzen D, Tsokos M. Drowning, haemodilution, haemolysis and staining of the aortic root—preliminary observations. J Clin Forensic Med. 2006;13:121–4.PubMedCrossRef Byard RW, Cains G, Simpson E, Eitzen D, Tsokos M. Drowning, haemodilution, haemolysis and staining of the aortic root—preliminary observations. J Clin Forensic Med. 2006;13:121–4.PubMedCrossRef
Metadaten
Titel
Immersion deaths and drowning: issues arising in the investigation of bodies recovered from water
verfasst von
Roger W. Byard
Publikationsdatum
01.09.2015
Verlag
Springer US
Erschienen in
Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology / Ausgabe 3/2015
Print ISSN: 1547-769X
Elektronische ISSN: 1556-2891
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-014-9564-5

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 3/2015

Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology 3/2015 Zur Ausgabe

Neu im Fachgebiet Pathologie