-
Emergencias : Revista de La Sociedad...This narrative review discusses the evidence relevant to key aspects of drowning, which is defined by the World Health Organization as the process of respiratory... (Review)
Review
This narrative review discusses the evidence relevant to key aspects of drowning, which is defined by the World Health Organization as the process of respiratory difficulty caused by submersion/immersion in liquid. The length of time the victim is submerged is a key factor in survival and neurologic damage. Although respiratory distress and hypoxia are the main events, other complications affecting various systems and organs may develop. Drowning is one of the main causes of accidental death worldwide, yet deaths from drowning are underestimated and morbidity is unknown. Prevention is essential for reducing both mortality and morbidity, but if prevention fails, the speed of access to and the quality of prehospital and hospital care will determine the prognosis. It is therefore essential to understand the factors and mechanisms involved in these emergencies.
Topics: Age Factors; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Cause of Death; Drowning; Emergencies; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Immersion; International Classification of Diseases; Male; Prognosis; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Survivors; Time Factors
PubMed: 31347808
DOI: No ID Found -
BMC Pediatrics Sep 2021We looked at existing recommendations for preventing unintentional injuries in children under five years of age, and we attempted to identify the main sources used as... (Review)
Review
We looked at existing recommendations for preventing unintentional injuries in children under five years of age, and we attempted to identify the main sources used as evidence for formulating these recommendations.We conducted a literature search up to the 18th October 2019 by using key terms and manual search in selected sources. We summarized the recommendations and source of the evidence in tables for each of five areas of unintentional injuries: road traffic injuries, drowning, poisoning, thermal injuries, falls.In 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a comprehensive report with strategies for child injury prevention for the European region. More recently, the WHO published several guidance documents focused on one area such as drowning, usually with a global focus. The PrevInfad workgroup (Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics) updated their document on road safety in April 2019, providing recommendations and a summary of the existing evidence. Preventive strategies for injuries in childhood are mainly based on surveillance data and the identification of risk factors. The key strategies for preventing unintentional injuries are a combination of environmental and behaviour modification, that can be achieved through engineering, enforcement and education. Consequently, for this kind of strategies, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of both the intervention itself, and the way the intervention is advised to parents and caretakers so that there is good compliance of the recommendation.
Topics: Accidental Falls; Accidental Injuries; Accidents, Traffic; Burns; Child; Child, Preschool; Drowning; Humans; Infant; Risk Factors; Wounds and Injuries
PubMed: 34496772
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-02517-2 -
Forensic Science, Medicine, and... Dec 2020The concept of autoerotic asphyxiation refers to the use of devices or substances intended to enhance one's arousal by inducing cerebral hypoxia, which can involuntarily...
The concept of autoerotic asphyxiation refers to the use of devices or substances intended to enhance one's arousal by inducing cerebral hypoxia, which can involuntarily lead to death. Although in most cases death occurs accidentally, it is nonetheless true that the same devices might be used by the practitioners in order to attempt suicide. The case of a 34-year-old practitioner of autoerotic asphyxiation found dead in his apartment with bondage-like ligatures and masking is reported here. The case raised some issues concerning the accidental or suicidal nature of the act. The aspects taken into account in the management of the case are discussed, along with a compared approach to the data provided by literature.
Topics: Accidents, Home; Adult; Asphyxia; Blood Alcohol Content; Fatal Outcome; Humans; Hyoid Bone; Hypoxia; Male; Neck Injuries; Paraphilic Disorders
PubMed: 32495262
DOI: 10.1007/s12024-020-00261-0 -
Journal of Forensic Sciences May 2020Elevators are mechanical transportation devices used to move vertically between different levels of a building. When first developed, elevators lacked the safety...
Elevators are mechanical transportation devices used to move vertically between different levels of a building. When first developed, elevators lacked the safety features. When safety mechanisms were developed, elevators became a common feature of multistory buildings. Despite their well-regarded safety record, elevators are not without the potential for danger of injury or death. Persons at-risk for elevator-related death include maintenance and construction workers, other employees, and those who are prone to risky behavior. Deaths may be related to asphyxia, blunt force, avulsion injuries, and various forms of environmental trauma. In this review, we report on 48 elevator-related deaths that occurred in nine different medicolegal death investigation jurisdictions within the United States over an approximately 30-year period. The data represents a cross-section of the different types of elevator-related deaths that may be encountered. The review also presents an overview of preventive strategies for the purpose of avoiding future elevator-related fatalities.
Topics: Accidental Falls; Accidents, Home; Accidents, Occupational; Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Asphyxia; Cause of Death; Child; Crush Injuries; Drowning; Electric Injuries; Elevators and Escalators; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Trauma; Occupational Health; Risk-Taking; Sex Distribution; Substance-Related Disorders; Young Adult
PubMed: 31703160
DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14235 -
Journal of Advanced Nursing Nov 1983
Topics: Accidents, Traffic; Death; Humans; Terminal Care
PubMed: 6558079
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1983.tb00471.x -
The Medico-legal Journal Mar 2022Internationally, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death that features in many legal cases. In these cases, possible mitigations and the 'pain and suffering' in...
Internationally, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death that features in many legal cases. In these cases, possible mitigations and the 'pain and suffering' in terms of the duration and subjective experience of drowning are often pivotal in determining levels of compensation and outcome. As a result, there is a requirement to understand the stages of the drowning process, and the duration and physiological and subjective responses associated with each stage. In this short review we focus on these issues.
Topics: Drowning; Humans
PubMed: 34791956
DOI: 10.1177/00258172211053127 -
Family & Community Health 2009
Topics: Accidental Falls; Accidents; Accidents, Traffic; Burns; Drowning; Humans; Poisoning; United States; Wounds and Injuries
PubMed: 19305205
DOI: 10.1097/01.FCH.0000347984.60057.e1 -
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health Aug 1995To describe the reasons why it is difficult to decide whether to attribute some infant deaths to accidents or to SIDS.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the reasons why it is difficult to decide whether to attribute some infant deaths to accidents or to SIDS.
METHODOLOGY
To extract from infant deaths data in South Australia those where the cause of death is debatable.
RESULTS
The risks associated with rocking cradles, bed sharing, bedclothes, couch sleeping, unsafe cots or beds and the prone position are presented.
CONCLUSIONS
Uniform worldwide death scene investigations for all infant deaths should help identify unsafe sleeping conditions for infants.
Topics: Accidents, Home; Asphyxia; Bedding and Linens; Beds; Cause of Death; Equipment Safety; Humans; Infant; Parenting; Prone Position; South Australia; Sudden Infant Death
PubMed: 7576879
DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1995.tb00808.x -
Journal of Forensic Nursing Sep 2011The bed is thought to be a safe place, but posses a number of risks that can cause deaths. To identify the causes of accidental death in bed and propose strategies for... (Review)
Review
The bed is thought to be a safe place, but posses a number of risks that can cause deaths. To identify the causes of accidental death in bed and propose strategies for the prevention of further accidents, we surveyed and analyzed the literature on accidental deaths in bed from Japan and abroad, as well as legal cases related to accidental death in bed in Japan. A search of the medical literature in Japan (1983-2007), abroad (1976-2007), and Japan's legal cases (1989-2007) located 39 cases. The vast majority of accidental deaths in bed occur among infants and elderly individuals with neurologic disorders. The main causes of death within these two groups are head injuries caused by falls from a bed and asphyxia caused by pressure to the neck when wedged against a bed rail. It is necessary to focus on prevention of falls from bed and prevention of asphyxia caused by bed rails in the case of infants and elderly individuals with neurologic disorders. Infants should be placed to sleep in beds designed for their ages and placed on their back. Elderly individuals need to sleep in beds with properly fitting bed rails to reduce wedging.
Topics: Accident Prevention; Accidental Falls; Accidents; Asphyxia; Beds; Brain Diseases; Forensic Medicine; Humans; Malpractice; Neck Injuries
PubMed: 21884400
DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-3938.2011.01109.x -
The American Journal of Forensic... Mar 2008The authors from the Florence Forensic Department present a case that demonstrates the paradigms attached to accidental deaths while performing autoerotic maneuvers. The...
The authors from the Florence Forensic Department present a case that demonstrates the paradigms attached to accidental deaths while performing autoerotic maneuvers. The incidents of such practices are underestimated and are only the tip of the iceberg since they do not represent the cases that are never reported due to successful practice. After analyzing the statistic data, the authors describe the case and discuss about the element that prove the accidental nature of the death and the importance of the correct application of forensic methodology at the scene and in the mortuary.
Topics: Accidents, Home; Asphyxia; Forensic Pathology; Humans; Male; Masturbation; Middle Aged; Neck Injuries; Purpura
PubMed: 19749620
DOI: 10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181651b79