Iranian Journal of Forensic Medicine
Year:2009 | Volume:15 | Issue:1 (53)|Papers Count:9

Background & Aim: One of the big problems in legal medicine is personal Identification in cases of skeletal remains or conditions such as mutilation and so on. The first step is determination of sex as it immediately excludes approximately half of the population. When the skull and the pelvis are available determination of sex will be made easily but it is not always available and sometimes because of explosions and air crashes, we confront with incomplete cadavers, so we should search for other elements of the skeleton. One of the elements that recently is paid more attention is patella. Patella is a cesamoid and compacted bone developed in the tendon of quadriceps muscle and it s size is dependent on the muscle mass so it will be bigger in the males and we can measure the patellas of male and females to determine the differences between them for sex determination. Materials and Methods: In this study three metrical characteristics include max height, max width and max thickness of patella were measured from 46 corps over 64 years old that referred to autopsy hall of Tehran Legal Medicine Center. For statistical analysis of data the statistical product and service solution (SPSS version 16) program was used and univariate and multivariate discriminant function analysis were performed to indicate the efficiency of each variable for sex determination. Findings: The mean of patella height in male was 4.49 centimeter and in female was 3.78 the mean of patella width in male was 4.47 and in female was 3.99 and the mean of patella thickness in male was 2.10 and in female was 1.97. Among these measurements max width and max height with average accuracy %89.1 and then max thickness with %80.4 were respectively better variables for sex determination. Also in multivariate discriminant analysis combination of all three measurements simultaneously with average accuracy %93.5 was the best function for sex determination. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that we can determine the sex with high confidence just by using the patella measurements.

Background & Aim: The domestic violence and the self destroying action between couples are usually due to marital maladjustment and disability in control of their emotion. Emotional Intelligence is a kind of social Intelligence that includes the ability of inspection in own or others emotion. The aim of this study is the evaluation of Emotional Intelligence role in prevention of domestic violence against women. Materials & Methods: The method of this study is cross- sectional comparative study. The experimental groups include 83 individuals of violence victim women and the same of ordinary ones who were randomly chosen and referred to Legal Medicine Organization. Both groups completed the demographic and bar - on EQ questioners. Findings: The results show that in general score and all component of Inter & Intrapersonal Relationship, Stress tolerance, Adaptability and General mood of the GPA of ordinary women had better average than those of victim women. Also there is significant difference in all subcomponent between two groups. Conclusion: The development of Emotional Intelligence abilities, which is one of the main social and emotional life skills, is very important to prevent of domestic violence against women.

Background &Aim: Most motor vehicle traffic on roads is at Noruz holidays which specific traffic regulations anticipated for it every year, therefore it is especially important to study the traffic casualties of this time.Materials &Methods: The information gets from 1558 number of the dead at Noruz of 2008 which was filled up in a pre prepared questionnaires and analyzed by statistical department of LMO.Findings: This study shows that 73.4% of the dead were male. From place of death point of view, 61.4% of them died before arrival in hospital and 37. 7% died inside hospital. Most of them were motor vehicle passengers (43.3%),and also have road accidents (67.8%). 47.2% of them were -30 years old, 30% between 30 to 49 years old and 22.5% +50. The major cause of death was head injury (58.2%) and the most motor vehicles which be used by the dead was automobile (42.9%) and after that, was motorcycle (22.8%). 61.8% of the dead passers-by collided with automobile and 14.9% with van.Conclusion: This study showed that because of difference among high risk groups and the quality of occurring accident in different states of Iran, various interfering methods must be done in each state. Since head injury is the first cause of death and motorcyclists died of it more than other groups, more observation is necessary to seat belt and safety helmet in reducing mortalities.

Background & Aim: Nowadays one of the most important dangers that threatens society health promotion trend is increasing of collisions. Annually many of people lose their life in collision. The aim of this study was to recognized the epidemiology of trauma due to collision in the injured who’s referred to Shahid Motahary hospital of Gonbad-e- Kavous in august 2006. Materials & Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Through census 316 subjects recruited to study. Data collection instrument was a data registry form that s validity performed via content validity. The data gathered by interviewing and assessment of medical records. Then the collected data were analyzed by SPSS Ver.13 software and demonstrated in the tables and diagrams. Findings: The total of cases was 316, 85.4% (270 people) were male. The mean age was (26.98±14.79). The most kind of motor vehicle injured were motorcycle with 62.7% (198 people). The greatest injured were driver with 56.3% (178 people) that among them 84.3% (150 people) were motorcycle driver. Generally in 52.9% (167 people) of cases, injuries were in lower limb and most of them had fracture in their legs. Conclusion: In according to the results more injured of collisions were motorcycle young driver that indicates explanatory of great prevalence of this vehicle in young people and their inattention to traffic indicator that requires precautionary measures to prevent from this problem.

Background & Aim: Foreign bodies in esophagus are causes for contact with emergency ward. Complications, such as bleeding, mucosal defect, esophageal perforation or even perforation of aorta and aortoesophageal fistula and death due to delayed in diagnosis, non-professional manipulation by patients or delayed in referring and penetrating of the foreign body into the esophagus, were reported.Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive chart review study. Variables were included: age, sex, patient 50job, the time between aspiration of the foreign body and referring to the hospital, type of foreign body, previous managements in other medical centers before referring to the hospital, clinical signs at the time of admission, type of diagnostic procedures, procedures which leading to diagnosis, therapeutic managements, the results of performed managements, possible side effects, anesthetic technique if performing, number of foreign bodies in each patients, frequency of foreign body entrance, length of hospital stay, and condition of the patient at the discharge time. Data were analyzed by using SPSS software and descriptive statistics. Findings: Among 181 cases, the mean of age, length of stay, the time between foreign body ingestion and referring to the hospital were 40±22 year, 1.6±1.8 day and 16±20 hours respectively. The most co-existing disease was psychiatric disorders in 5 cases (29.4%). The most aspirated foreign bodies were pieces of bone in 119 cases (65.8%), and then was food particles in 27 cases (14.9%). The frequencies of ingested foreign body in 156 (86.2%) cases were 1 piece and only, in 4 cases (2.2%) were 2 pieces. Foreign body sensation was the most common complaint among 66 patients (36.5%). Esophagoscopy was the most important procedure leading to diagnosis for 84 cases (46.4%). The principal complication of foreign body aspiration was creating wound in upper part of esophageal wall in 6 cases (3.3%), which was repaired by drug therapy? Conclusion: Patients with regard to delayed in referring to the hospital therefore, considering clinical signs and taking careful history can be very important. In case of confirmed foreign body aspiration, assessment for number of aspirated particles is considerable. The prevalence of foreign body aspiration is high among children so teaching to the parents is recommended. Foreign body duo to meal of fish bone has not high rate.

Background & Aim: Noise is one of the most frequent workplace hazards which can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), a permanent and irreversible, but preventable disease. In recent years it has been postulated that smoking can aggravate NIHL. NIHL compensation costs are very high. In this study we aimed to assess the effect of smoking on hearing impairment on workers exposed to noise in wagon manufacturing plant. Materials & Methods: In a cross-sectional study on the workers of a wagon manufacturing plant in 1386, after considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, 252 male smoker and 252 non-smoker workers (matched for other variables) entered the study and compared for hearing impairment. We used AAO formula for measuring hearing impairment. Findings: Binocular hearing impairment was significantly higher in smokers than non-smokers (P<0.001, 95% CI = 4.48-17.84). Multivariate logistic regression (to eliminate confounding factors) also confirmed this significant difference, and showed a direct relationship between the amount of impairment and increased pack/years of smoking. Conclusion: We can conclude from the results of this study that smoking may play role in causing hearing impairment, so giving up or decreasing the amount of smoking may prevent or at least delay hearing impairment.

Background & Aim: Aluminum Phosphide or rice tablet is a solid fumigant pesticide widely used in the Iran especially in north of Iran as a grain preservative. Recent researches show dramatic increase in number of cases and deaths due to aluminum phosphide poisoning in Iran. The aim of this study is evaluation of electrolytes and blood glucose level in this poisoning as a prognostic factor. Materials & Methods: This is a case-control study. Forty-five patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning due to ingestion were studied in Loghman-Hakim hospital poisoning management center from 14 March 2006 to May 2007. Patients were divided to survived and non-survived groups and statistical comparisons were made in various parameters including demographic, electrolytes and blood glucose level. Findings: Between March 2006 and May 2007, 45 patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning of these 21 (47%) were females and 24 (53%) males. The mean ages of cases were 27.29 (+/-11.58) with a range of 14-62. Form all of the cases, 32 were died and 13 were alive. All of them were hospitalized in ICU. The route of exposure to aluminum phosphide was deliberate ingestion in all patients. The mean of Sodium and potassium level in non-survived were 140.38±1.1 and 3.95 ±0.14. And in survived were 139.69 ±4.9 and 3.86± 0.11. The mean of Bicarbonate level in on survived was 11.25±0.9 and in survived was 12.3 ±1.08. hypokalemia and hyperkalemia were seen in 17.79% and 4.4% respectively. Hypo and hypernaturemia were seen in 6.6% and 15.5% respectively. The mean of blood glucose level was 222.59±20.18 mg/dL and 143.4 ±13.7 mg/dL in survived and expired groups respectively. Two patients (4.4%) had hypoglycemia and 57.7% of patients had hyperglycemia. Conclusion: Aluminum phosphide can cause either elevation, decrease or no change in electrolytes, bicarbonate and blood glucose level. These factors may have a good role for assessment the severity of poisoning.

Introduction: The proper diagnosis of the cause of death occurs when there is an interval between onset of symptoms and death time. If there is no interval between them and sudden death occurs, diagnosing cause of death will be difficult or impossible. In these cases if the patient’ s family has any complaint against anybody else, diagnosing cause of death via autopsy is needed. Discussion: A 70 year old man was slightly injured during a car accident and referred to legal medicine center and received a specialist certificate for his traumatic injuries. Approximately five weeks after initial trauma, he had unspecific symptoms for about 24 hours so he went to the local hospital for several times and after some symptomatic treatments finally he died His family proclaimed against faulty driver and hospital medical team and they declare that initial trauma or medical mismanagement were causes of his death. Postmortem examination and forensic autopsy revealed aortic tear and dissection as the main cause of death and as a result they refrained to follow their complaint of the document was closed.  Conclusion: Death determination is not possible, unless autopsy is performed in sudden death and in case of issuing death certificate without performing autopsy, there will be more complications and if there are any complaints against medical staff or others, with prolongation of the process, it will be imposed many material and spiritual costs to all of the involved individuals.