Korean J Leg Med.  2014 Feb;38(1):19-25. 10.7580/kjlm.2014.38.1.19.

Animal Experiment for the Analysis of Postmortem Inhalation Degree by Drowning Medium Containing Methylene Blue

• Hong JW
• Choi CH
• Kim YS

• KMID: 2305460
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2014.38.1.19

Abstract

Drowning is a leading cause of accidental deaths worldwide, but its pathological diagnosis remains a challenge for forensic pathologists owing to a lack of pathognomonic findings in drowning deaths and inconclusive autopsy findings caused by postmortem changes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pathway taken by inhaled drowning medium through the airway after death in a variety of experimental conditions, including underwater pressurization. We used methylene blue dye to monitor the spread of drowning medium to the lungs. Results of theses experiments demonstrated that it is possible for a significant amount of downing medium to enter the airway during immersion after death. Our results suggest that autopsies of immersed bodies and interpretation of these findings should be performed with special care.

Keyword

Drowning; Immersion; Underwater pressurization; Methylene blue; Autopsy

MeSH Terms

Animal Experimentation*
Animals*
Autopsy
Diagnosis
Drowning*
Immersion
Inhalation*
Lung
Methylene Blue*
Postmortem Changes
Methylene Blue

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Compression tank was used to simulate the condition of underwater 10 m depth.

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  Fig. 2. Gross appearance of the animal lungs shows very different grade of dye diffusion depending on the experimental conditions.

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  Fig. 3. Ventral surface of animal lungs shows similar pattern and grade of dye diffusion compared to dorsal surface on the experimental conditions (after formalin fixation).

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  Fig. 4. Longitudinal section of the left lungs shows more clear-cut comparison of dye diffusion on the experimental conditions (after formalin fixation).

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  Fig. 5. The photograph of histology reveals alveolar edema, alveolar hemorrhage and vascular congestion in the rat’ s lung which is immersed and pressurized after death (H & E, a: × 200, b: × 400).

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