Fatal aspiration of grain corn: Case report

Abstract

Introduction: Asphyxiation by aspirationinhalation of foreign bodies is a form of violent mechanical asphyxia and can occur at any age, most commonly in children and the elderly. In children up to third age choking is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Mortality due to aspiration of foreign bodies is higher in children because of the relatively narrow airways and less developed protective mechanisms. The size, type, shape and place of obstruction with foreign body leads to the diversity of clinical picture. Case report. We present the case of a 15 month-old girl, who was found by her mother in her house in a village, lying down, cyanotic, collapsed, without breathing. Autopsy showed that the cause of death was acute respiratory obstruction with impacted grains of corn in two places, on the larynx entrance and in the right bronchus. Conclusion. The diagnosis of death by asphyxiation due to aspiration of foreign bodies is set at autopsy, when the place of airway occlusion is found. If a foreign body was removed during providing assistance, the diagnosis would be made based on medical records or history data of persons who were provided assistance. In cases of sudden deaths of young children, in order to clarify pathophysiological mechanism and mode of death in each case, a pathologist should always keep in mind the possibility of aspiration of foreign bodies, and in accordance with this, carefully apply appropriate autopsy techniques to locate the place of obstruction, with special regard to local finding in airways.

Keywords

• forensic medicine
• foreign body
• asphyxiation
• autopsy findings