Asphyxial deaths: a four year retrospective study in Peshawar

The study provides epidemiological analysis of autopsy record on asphyxial deaths and different methods used to carry it out. It was a retrospective [descriptive] study done at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Khyber Medical College Peshawar. Analysis of autopsy record was done and cases of asphyxial deaths and the cause of asphyxia was noted. The data covers a period from January 2009 to June 2012. A total of 3,265 [males n=2839, Females n= 426] cases were presented for autopsy to Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Department of Khyber medical college Peshawar and 130 deaths were due to asphyxia compared with 2370 deaths due to firearm. Homicide was the most common manner of death. 89 cases were males and 41 were females. Approximate ages of the autopsies conducted were 0-19 years n= [18.2%], 20-40 years n= [64.5%], 41-60 years n= [13%] and 61 or above n=4 [3.0%]. Strangulation was found to be the most common method used. Asphyxial deaths are not as common as firearm deaths in Peshawar. Homicide is the most common method of death. The findings may be helpful for the security agencies in investigation of asphyxial deaths

Analysis of autopsy record of unnatural deaths in Peshawar district

This study was undertaken to describe the unnatural deaths and their causes in Peshawar and its suburbs. This descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. Autopsy data from January 2009 to April 2012 was analyzed and only those cases were selected for the study where the cause of death was unnatural i.e., homicide, suicide, accidental or undetermined. Of a total of 3,265 autopsies due to unnatural causes during 40 months period, 2,839 [87%] were males and 426 [13%] were females. There were 2,856 cases of homicide - 2,475 [87%] were males and 381[13%] were females, 317 were accidental deaths - 281 [89%] males and 36 females [11%], 66 were suicide cases - 61 [92%] males and 5 females [8%] and 26 were undetermined deaths - 22 males [85%] and 4 [15%] females. Most victims were aged 20-40 years. Most common cause of death was firearm - 2370 cases, blunt trauma 279 cases and bomb blast/explosives 167 cases. The rate of unnatural deaths in Peshawar is very high. Autopsies done during the study period were a lot more than previous years. Homicide is the most common manner of death with firearms being the most common weapon used. Strict laws should be implemented to limit illegal weapons. Surveillance must be increased in all parts of the city to reduce the loss of precious human lives

Death in the home: domestic violence against women in Khyber pakhtunkhwa

Domestic or Interpersonal Violence [IPV] remains a major global problem often resulting in morbidity and mortality. The present study was conducted to determine the scope of deaths related to domestic violence in the Khyber Pakhunkhwa province, Pakistan. Data were collected on all reported female fatalities due to domestic violence for the years 2009-2011 from the records of the department of Forensic Medicine, Khyber Medical College Peshawar for analysis. A total of 305 deaths were reported, showing an increasing trend of 115 deaths for 2009-10 and 190 deaths for 2010-2011. The majority, 182 [59.7%] belonged to the rural areas and 123 [40.3%] to urban areas of the province. Victims were generally of the younger age groups [17% below age 16 and 42.3% between 17-32 years]. Homicide was the manner of death in 293 [96.1%] while the most common causative agent was firearm injury [235, 77.1%]. Head and neck injuries were most common [52.6%] followed by the chest and abdomen [31.6%] while multiple sites and extremities accounted for 15.8% of injuries. Young and adult females of KPK province of Pakistan are susceptible to homicidal deaths due to domestic violence, perpetrated through firearm injuries to the head and neck regions.

Crime related use of benzodiazepine in district Peshawar

The number of reported crime in which the victims were first rendered unconscious, lacking awareness of his or her surrounding and later the planned crime ensued. Blood and urine samples were collected and tested for sedative hypnotics at the toxicology lab. The specimens, all of them were tested positive from benzodiazepine. Cross Sectional study. This study was conducted at Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar from 01.01.2010 to 31.12.2010. The study was conducted on 77 samples of urine and blood obtained from the victims who were brought over by police to the tertiary care hospitals in district Peshawar. The procedure to find out the exact subtype was with the help of High Performance Liquid Chromatography [HPLC] in the Toxicology Laboratory. The chemical analysis revealed that all the samples obtained from the victims carried Clonazepam a subtype of Benzodiazepine. Easy availability of benzodiazepine and other narcotic analgesics across the country renders these technically dangerous medicines into the hands of criminals resulting in heinous and monstrous consequencesry renders these technically dangerous medicines into the hands of criminals resulting in heinous and monstrous consequences

Pattern of epiphyseal union at knee in the children and young adults of Peshawar

Objectives of the study were to: 1. Determine the age of epiphyseal union at distal end of femur and proximal end of tibia and fibula in the children and young adults of Peshawar. 2. Compare the pattern of epiphyseal union at knee among males and females. Non-interventional descriptive. Department of Forensic Medicine, Khyber Medical College Peshawar. In the study 120 healthy, young volunteer students of both sexes and original residents of NWFP were included. Males were 15-19 years and females were 13-17 years of age. Age was certified by means of birth record, school certificates and interview with the parents. Radiographs of right knee were taken using conventional x-rays apparatus. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. Radiological findings regarding epiphyseal union were classified as follow; a. Stage of non-union b. Stage of partial union c. Stage of complete Union Data was compiled and significance of results was evaluated through statistical analysis of the data using Chi-square and t-test. In males average age of epiphyseal union of femur, tibia and fibula is 16.5, 17 and 17.5 years respectively. In comparison, in females epiphyseal union of femur and tibia takes place at the age of 14 years while that of fibula at the age of 15 years. Epiphyseal union is 2.5 to 3 years earlier in females as compared to males. Epiphyseal union occurs earlier in Pakistan than in European countries. Europeans norms and standards of skeletal growth used for age estimation are not valid for Pakistani children. Further studies on pattern of epiphyseal union must be conducted to develop local reference standard that may be used for age estimation

Analysis of homicidal deaths in Peshawar, Pakistan

Homicide is one of the oldest crimes in human civilization. For every person who dies as a result of homicide, many more are injured. A study of the patterns of homicide in a society is one of the first steps in developing strategies to prevent it. This study was conducted at the department of Forensic Medicine Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, to know the patterns of homicide, taking it as the first step in the prevention of this crime. This study includes 520 cases of homicide out of the total of 662 medico-legal autopsies conducted at Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, during the year 2002. The cases have been labeled as homicide on the basis of autopsy and police inquest. The homicide rate for Peshawar during the period under study was 22.9/100,000. Males constituted 86.15% of the victims. 32% of the victims were in their third decade of life. Firearms were the causative agent in 86% of the cases. Chest was the primarily targeted area of the body. The highest number of homicides occurred in the month of November. The homicide rate is alarmingly high in Peshawar as is the use of firearms. This is something that should be seriously looked at by the policy makers