Adult autopsy case with marked myositis ossificans: association with repetitive physical assault and battery.
A man in his thirties was found dead in his room. The autopsy findings were as follows: multiple bruises and subdermal edema, small sized stab wounds, a number of skin scars, new and old rib fractures, mild liver contusion, and marked myositis ossificans traumatica (MOT) at both thighs. In particular, the MOT was closely associated with repetitive physical assault and battery. The deceased did not have any lethal injuries of internal organs or great vessels, and the cause of death was diagnosed as traumatic hypovolemic shock. The deceased seemed to have accepted as fate his "specific situation" in which he would be subjected to continued physical violence from his cohabiter, a woman in her thirties.
Takahashi
Shirushi
S
Division of Forensic Medicine, Department of Public Health and Forensic Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, 980-8575 Sendai, Japan. shirushi@forensic.med.tohoku.ac.jp
Kanetake
Jun
J
Kanawaku
Yoshimasa
Y
Funayama
Masato
M
D000328:Adult; D003288:Contusions / Q000473:pathology; D017579:Domestic Violence; D004487:Edema / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009221:Myositis Ossificans / Q000473:pathology*; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000473:pathology; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000473:pathology