[Homicide or suicide by strangulation--case report].
BACKGROUND
Ligature strangulation represents a violent mechanical asphyxiation caused by tightening a loop around the victim's neck, pulled either by an active or passive force. Mechanism of death is most often due to cerebral hypoxia caused by compression of blood vessels which feed the brain, but it can also occur either due to compression and closing the air passages or by stimulating the superior laryngeal nerve.


METHODS
An 81-year-old woman was found in her home lying across the couch with a bathrobe belt tied around her neck and a knot at the back side. Body examination showed congestion of the face, conjunctival petechiae as well as a ligature mark in the middle of the neck. The internal examination revealed hematomas on the left side of the tongue, on its base and in the neck muscles on the left side.


CONCLUSIONS
Thorough forensic expertise of a strangulation case includes the circumstances surrounding the death, detailed information of a crime scene and a complete autopsy report. The relevant pieces of information obtained from each of the investigation phase can be vital for making the right decision about the cause of death.
Univerzitet u Novom Sadu, Medicinski fakultet, Novi Sad. rasaradosavkic@yahoo.com
Radosav
R
Radosavkić
Dusan
D
Vapa
Vladimir
V
Pilija
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000473:pathology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006406:Hematoma / Q000473:pathology; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck; D013405:Suicide; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology