title: Fatal head trauma from tree related injuries.
abstract: Two cases of death following tree related injuries are presented. Two females, an elderly woman and a child, suffered severe head trauma from falling objects from trees--a falling coconut and a falling branch respectively. Although this mode of injury has been previously documented, there have been no prior reports of in-hospital deaths in such patients. This uncommon cause of death is reviewed and recommendations made concerning its prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, UWI, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Escoffery
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Shirley
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica; D020204:Skull Fracture, Depressed / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D014197:Trees; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*