Postmortem computed tomography findings of upper airway obstruction by food.
This study is a retrospective analysis of 14 cases with food bolus upper airway obstruction as the defined cause of death where both postmortem computed tomography and autopsy were performed. Three groups were defined by the images i.e., Type 1: foreign body situated between the oral cavity and oropharynx, while the epiglottis sits in normal position, Type 2: foreign body situated in the oropharynx just above the epiglottis pushing it posteriorly and obstructing the airway, and Type 3: foreign body obstructing the laryngeal inlet while pushing the epiglottis anteriorly. At the time of autopsy, foreign bodies were detected by pathologists, occasionally in a different position, presumably being dislodged in the act of organ removal especially for the "Type 1" pattern. CT imaging provides accurate interrogation of upper airway bolus obstruction prior to autopsy.
Iino
Morio
M
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Southbank, Victoria, Australia. iino@legal.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
O'Donnell
Chris
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood; D004825:Epiglottis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005502:Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D000431:Ethanol