Small bowel perforation and fatal peritonitis following a fall in a 21-month-old child.
The authors report a case of fatal peritonitis due to small bowel perforation in a 21-month-old female child. Necropsy excluded natural disease and a thorough Coronial investigation concluded that an accidental fall onto a "doorstop" caused the bowel injury. The investigative findings are presented; the discussion address issues of diagnosis and causation/mechanism of injury.
Davison
Andrew M
AM
Wales Institute of Forensic Medicine, Cardiff University College of Medicine, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. davisonam@cardiff.ac.uk
Lazda
Edgar J
EJ
D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications; D000058:Accidental Falls; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*