title: Laryngeal teflonoma identified by Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy after forensic autopsy: an interesting tool for foreign material identification in forensic cases.
abstract: Forensic pathologists are sometimes confronted with microscopic foreign bodies mixed in with soft tissues surrounding wounds and which are thus difficult to identify. This identification, however, could be primordial in investigating a crime and in determining the weapon used. A case of a fatal respiratory distress syndrome due to conjoining suicidal drug intoxication and laryngeal obstruction by a voluminous foreign body giant cell granuloma is presented. The classical histological examination showed exogenous particles in the vocal cord tumor with birefringent qualities. Their analysis with Fourier-Transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry coupled with infrared microscope allows the determination of their chemical nature as polytetrafluoroethylene and to the diagnosis of teflonoma. This case report put the emphasis on the forensic interest of the FTIR imaging.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine Department, Bellevue Hospital, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, St Etienne, France. sebastien.duband@chu-st-etienne.fr
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duband
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Govin
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dumollard
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forest
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Basset
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Péoc'h
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000506:poisoning; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D007830:Larynx / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000506:poisoning; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000150:complications; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010640:Phenothiazines; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; C028457:cyamemazine