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Chapter-16 Recent Advances in the Autopsy Diagnosis of Drowning

BOOK TITLE: Recent Advances in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology (Volume 2)

Author
1. Mukhopadhyay Parthapratim
2. Chowdhuri Soumeek
ISBN
9789352701247
DOI
10.5005/jp/books/14137_17
Edition
1/e
Publishing Year
2018
Pages
37
Author Affiliations
1. Burdwan Medical College, Burdwan, West Bengal, India, E-mail: drpartha99md@gmail.com
2. Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, E-mail: smk.kgp@gmail.com
Chapter keywords
Drowning, autopsy diagnosis, hemolytic staining, drowning index, diatom test, aquaporins, strontium, bacterioplankton, impedance spectroscopy

Abstract

This chapter discusses the various diagnostic methods currently available to the forensic pathologist so as to make a diagnosis of drowning with reasonable scientific certainty. Mortality due to drowning is a major global public health concern. Drowning is among the ten leading causes of death for children and young people in every region of the world. The forensic pathologists often confront cases wherein the findings are not definite enough to clinch the diagnosis, though the body might have been recovered from water. Several factors inclusive of autopsy, biochemical examination, radiological and molecular technique are taken together as complementary methods to conclude drowning as the cause of death. Autopsy findings in typical (wet) drowning and recent reported diagnostic methods, which can be used as a guideline in daily medicolegal practice, are also provided in this chapter.

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