Importancia del estudio histopatológico en la determinación de las causas de defunción de autopsias médico legales cuya manera de muerte se clasificó como natural / Importance of histopathology in determining the causes of death of medicolegal autopsies whose manner of death was classified as a natural

En este artículo se discute la necesidad de realizar estudios histopatológicos para dilucidar el diagnóstico final en las autopsias médico legales de los casos que hayan sido catalogados como muerte natural. La histología es una herramienta que ayuda a confirmar o refutar los hallazgos macroscópicos, por tanto se ha demostrado su utilidad en los casos en los cuales no se tiene un mecanismo de muerte claro. Se estudiaron todos los protocolos de autopsia durante el año 2011 clasificados como muerte natural y se les realizó estudios histopatológicos para confirmar o descartar el diagnóstico previamente anotado como responsable de la muerte, obteniéndose que solo el 42,62% coincide completamente tanto macroscópicamente como microscópicamente. Por lo que sigue siendo la recomendación, realizar a todas las muertes naturales los análisis histopatológicos, mientras los recursos humanos y materiales así lo permitan.

In this paper it is discussed the need to realice histopathologics studies to explain the final diagnosis in the autopsies of the cases that have been catalogued as natural death. The histology is a tool that helps to confirm or refute the macrocospic findings therefore his usefulness has been demonstrated in the cases in which the mechanism of death is not clear. All the protocols of autopsy during the year 2011 classified as natural death were studied to confirm or to reject the diagnosis before annotated like responsible for the death, being obtained that only the 42,62 % coincides completely, macrocospic and microscopically. For what it continues being the recommendation, to do the histopathologyc studies to all of the natural deaths, while the human and material resources allow it.

Analysis of relationship between natural death of Oncomelania hupensis snails and water level in Eastern Dongting Lake district / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To study the reasons of natural death of Oncomelania hupensis snails by comparing the differences of the indicator days covered with water DCW in snail marshland and non?snail marshland around the build of Three Gorges Dam in Eastern Dongting Lake areas. Methods Two marshlands were selected one was a non?snail marshland Qianliang Lake and another was a snail marshland Junshan Park . The measuring points were set through the mechanical sampling. The snails and elevation of the points were surveyed and the data of the water levels from the hydrological station were collected and then DCWs were calculated. Results From 1995 to 2013 DCWs of the marshland of natural death of snails were all more than that of the snail marshland P<0.01 . In Qianliang Lake marshland the difference between DCW before natural death and DCW from natural death until the dam was not significant P=0.23 while DCWs of the two stages both were more than that after the dam P1=0.045 P2=0.002 . Before the build of the dam DCW of the Qianliang Lake marshland of natural death of snails was more than that after the build of the dam P=0.013 and there was the same situation in Junshan Park marshland P=0.005 . The relationship between snail density and DCW was not significant in Junshan Park marshland rs=0.008 P=0.914 and the reference range of DCW of all the measuring points was 76-251 days. Conclusion In the eastern Dongting Lake district the build of Three Gorges Dam and DCW may be not the direct factors affecting the natural death of snails and the latter may change the distribution of snails.

Contrastive analysis of environmental factors between Oncomelania hupensis snail marshland and snail natural death marshland in Eastern Dongting Lake schistosomiasis endemic areas / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To study the reasons of natural death of Oncomelania hupensis snails in marshland by comparing the differences of environmental factors between snail marshland and non-snail marshland in East Dongting Lake schistosomiasis en-demic areas. Methods Two adjoining marshlands were selected,one was a snail marshland and another was a non-snail marsh-land. The measuring points were set by grid of“20m × 20m”. The soil moisture,elevation,soil pH and temperature of the points were measured,and the snails of the points were surveyed. Results The elevation,soil pH and temperature of the snail natural death marshland were all lower than those of the snail marshland(P<0.01). The soil moisture,elevation,soil pH and temperature of different snail densities in the snail marshland were different(P<0.05). The soil moisture of the non-snail group was higher than that of other four groups(P<0.01)and the soil moisture of the group with 0-11 snails per frame was lower than that of other four groups(P<0.01). The elevation of the group with 0-11 snails per frame was lower than that of the group with 24-39 snails per frame and the group with more than 39 snails per frame(P<0.05). The soil pH of the group without snails was higher than that of other four groups(P<0.01)and the soil temperature of the group with 0-11 snails per frame was lower than that of the group with 24-39 snails per frame. The differences of soil moisture and elevation of different death snail densities were not significant, while the differences of soil pH and temperature were significant. The soil pH of the non-snail died group was higher than that of the 2-died,3-died and more than 3-died groups(P<0.05). The soil temperature of the non-snail died group was higher than that of other four groups(P<0.05). Conclusion The elevation,soil pH and soil temperature within the range of the research may be the factors affecting the snail natural death and the soil moisture,elevation,soil pH and soil temperature may be the factors affect-ing the distribution of snails.

Orden de no reanimar, consideraciones sobre este problema / Don not resuscitate order: some considerations about this problem

El artículo define aspectos y significados clínicos y éticos sobre Paro Cardiorrespiratorio (PCR), Maniobras de Reanimación Cardiopulmonar y Orden de No resucitación Cardiopulmonar (No-RCP). Enfatiza la diferencia entre el cese de la función cardiorrespiratoria por muerte natural (p.ej. por enfermedad crónica irreversible), distinguiéndolo de el PCR súbito, reversible. Se examinan estas situaciones a la luz de los “Fines de la Medicina” (Hastings Center, 1996).Se analizan los principales problemas, comenzando por las dificultades según los diferentes escenarios (servicio de urgencia, pabellón de maternidad, sala de hospitalizados, unidad de intensivo, pabellones quirúrgicos); se analiza la incertidumbre sobre el pronóstico de cada pacientes y sobre quién(es) deben tomar las decisiones sobre el fin de la vida. Idealmente debe ser el paciente autónomo quien tome la decisión, pero en otros casos se requieren alternativas, una de ellas es la Orden Unilateral. Otros problemas son la Validez de las órdenes de no-RCP en los diferentes tiempos evolutivos, el problema de la Futilidad y la Validez de las “Directivas Anticipadas”, en este grupo resalta el enfoque POLST (Physician’s Order for Life Sustaining Treatment) como más comprehensivo; como complemento ha surgido también el concepto AND (Allow Natural Death), que podría estar destinado a remplazar la orden de no-RCP (DNR).

This article examines the ethical and clinical significance of Cardiopulmonary Arrest, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation maneuvers and Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR). It emphasizes Cardiopulmonary Arrest, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation maneuvers and Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR). It emphasizes the difference between the cessation of cardiorespiratory function by natural death (e.g. by chronic irreversible disease) as different from the sudden, reversible cardiopulmonary arrest. It considers these situations under the light of the “Goals of Medicine” (Hastings Center, 1996). We look through the main problems, in first place the specific difficulties according to different scenarios (emergency room, maternity ward, hospital room, intensive care unit, surgical blocks); second we analyzes the uncertainty about patients prognosis and third the controversial issue about who should take charge the end of life decisions. The autonomous patient should ideally be who takes the decisions. Other cases need alternatives ways, one of them is the “Unilateral Order”. Other problems are the validity of the DNR orders in different clinical times, the problem of futility and the value of Advance Directives; in this last point POLST (Physician’s Order for Life Sustaining Treatment) approach appears as more comprehensive; at last, the new concept AND (allow natural death) could be destined to replace the DNR order.

A Case of Natural Death Misinterpreted as Electrocution / 대한법의학회지

When the circumstance of a death seems to be related with electric shock, most of the forensic pathologists tend to diagnose the cause of death as electrocution if they see the electric mark(s) with the notincompatible histology, and find no other definite causes of death at autopsy. But admittedly forensic pathologists know that the so-called electric mark(s) and its histology is not pathognomonic to diagnose electrocution, so the diagnosis should be confirmed by the appropriate investigation of the death scene and the electric devices. We present a case of a man who had a likely current mark that could be diagnosed as natural by ruling out the possibility of electrocution with the examination of the electric lamp which had been under the dead body at the scene. This case gives us the importance of appropriate probe about scene evidences supplied by forensic science in diagnosing and ruling out the electrocution.