Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
Year : 1999, Volume : 16, Issue : 1
First page : ( 38) Last page : ( 39)
Print ISSN : 0971-1929.

Absence of spinal injury in attempted hanging involving diseased cervical spine: A case report

Jayaprakash K., Asst. Prof., Pillay V. V., Addl. Prof. & Head

Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore 575001.

Summary

Death in hanging may be caused by various mechanisms including asphyxia, cervical vasculature occlusion, and fractures of cervical spine with spinal cord injury. While it is true that in some cases of long-drop hanging the bony cervical spine may not really be damaged, the fact that spinal injury almost never occurs lin hanging without a drop is extensively documented. However, a few reports have surprisingly indicated cervical injury even in suicidal hanging not associated with I a drop. This paper reports a case of attempted suicidal hanging resulting in near-death, by an individual whose cervical spine was not only diseased but had in fact been recently operated surgically, and yet remarkably, showed no signs of spinal damage.

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