title: Trigemino-cardiac reflex as lethal mechanism in a suicidal fire death case.
abstract: In the vast majority of immediate fire deaths, the mechanism of death is inhalation of toxic gases (especially carbon monoxide), direct thermal injury, or neurogenic shock due to the redistribution of the body's blood volume produced by surface heat on the skin. We present a suicidal case that is unusual because the mechanism of immediate fire death could arguably be explained in terms of a primitive autonomic reflex/the trigemino-cardiac reflex. Although this reflex is well known to surgeons and anesthetists, with possible lethal consequences in the course of invasive surgical procedures on the head and neck region, it is much less familiar to forensic pathologists.
authors: Institute of Legal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Rossi
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Lodise
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Lancia
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Bacci
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: De-Giorgio
authors: Fidelia
authors: F
authors: Cascini
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D005390:Fires; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059230:Reflex, Trigeminocardiac; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin
keywords: fire death; forensic pathology; forensic science; neurogenic death; trigemino-cardiac reflex