Ahmet Hilal

Childhood deaths due to electrocution in Adana, Turkey

Aim: This retrospective study was conducted to determine the general features of childhood deaths due to electrocution, and draw the attention of community to these preventable deaths.

Determination of pesticides in postmortem blood and bone marrow of pesticide treated rabbits.

Forensic toxicological analyses have traditionally focused on the use of blood, body fluids, and certain organs in examinations of deaths due to intoxication. However, in some situations, putrefaction and contamination make proper sampling from tissues impossible, such as in exhumation cases. In these cases, bone marrow might be useful as an alternative specimen since it is a potential depot for drugs. This study aims to determine pesticides in postmortem and putrefied bone marrow of pesticide treated rabbits, so as to reveal the diagnostic value of toxicological analysis of bone marrow in exhumation cases. Out of thirteen rabbits, a 110 mg/kg dose of endosulfan was orally given to six through a gavage tool, and a 2500 mg/kg dose of diazinon was given to six using the same method. One rabbit was not treated with anything and served as a control sample. Venous blood, liver, lung, kidney, brain, and bone marrow samples were collected just after spontaneous death or cervical dislocation. After this, the rabbits were buried in soil. All of them were exhumed 1 month later, and putrefied viscera and bone marrow were sampled. Blood and tissue samples underwent solvent extraction and solid phase extraction, and then the samples were analyzed by GC-MS. Mean residue levels of diazinon in early postmortem samples were 85 mg/kg, 71 mg/kg, 23 mg/kg, 21 mg/kg, 19 mg/kg, and 0.4 mg/l in the liver, bone marrow, kidney, lung, brain, and blood, respectively. Mean residue levels of diazinon in the putrefied body were 3327 mg/kg in putrefied viscera and 1783 mg/kg in the bone marrow. Mean residue levels of endosulfan isomers and metabolites in early postmortem samples (blood, liver, lung, kidney, brain, and bone marrow) were 0.46 mg/kg (endosulfan sulfate), 0.32 mg/kg (alpha and beta isomers of endosulfan), and 0.14 mg/kg (endosulfan ether) while the same levels were 0.26 mg/kg (endosulfan sulfate), 0.24 mg/kg (alpha and beta isomers of endosulfan), and 0.1 mg/kg (endosulfan ether) in putrefied samples (putrefied bone marrow and putrefied viscera). Based on these experimental results, it can be concluded that cause of death can be determined as acute pesticide poisoning by toxicological analysis of samples from bone marrow and putrefied viscera in exhumation cases.

Methanol intoxications in adana, Turkey.

Methanol is a highly toxic substance that is commonly used as an industrial solvent and antifreeze in automobiles. Methanol intoxication usually occurs following inhalation or topical exposure of spirit, homemade alcohol, or eau de cologne. The goal of this study was to examine methanol fatalities and methanol poisoning characteristics in our region and to contribute to form a database concerning methanol intoxication cases in our country. The records of the Morgue Department, Council of Forensic Medicine Adana Group Administration, were reviewed retrospectively for all methanol poisoning deaths for the period of January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2003. Age, gender, death places, methanol blood levels of the cases, and consumed products were recorded. Total number of deaths between 1997 and 2003 was 4725 and the number of deaths due to methanol poisoning was 41 (0.86%) during this period; 38 (92.68%) of the total methanol fatality cases were male and three (7.32%) female, with an age range of 16 to 54 years.

Forensic geriatric deaths in Adana, Turkey

The World Health Organization describes geriatric age group as the population aged 65 years or older. Parallel with the development of medical and technological areas, the life expectancy gets longer and geriatric population has been dramatically increasing. In this respect, geriatric deaths are frequently encountered due to increasing risk factors and pathophysiological changes in aging process. The records of the Forensic Medicine Institution Adana Group Authority Morgue Specialty Office were used. Death certificates and autopsy records of 9007 cases autopsied between the years of 1998 and 2007 were examined retrospectively. Seven hundred and twenty-six geriatric age (>or=65 years) deaths were taken in the scope of the study. All of the cases were analyzed with regard to age, sex, cause of death, incident place, and the place and origin of death. Geriatric deaths comprised 8.1% (726 cases) of all the medico-legal autopsy cases (9007) during these ten years. Of all geriatric deaths, 73.8% (536) were male while 26.2% (190) were female. Ages of cases were between 65 and 96 years, and the mean age was 72.3. Majority (310 cases, 42.7%) of deaths were by natural causes, while this was followed by accidental deaths with 227 cases (31.4%). This study was aimed to discuss the general features of geriatric deaths accepted as forensic cases, in the light of the literature.

Gençlerde uçucu madde soluma sonucu ani ölüm: Olgu sunumu

Brucellosis, is an endemic disease in our country, may lead to bacteremia and cause different clinic manifestations. A 44-year-old male patient admitted to our policlinic with high fever, shivering, chilling, pollacuria, and left costovertebral pain, and interned with diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis. Subsequently, acute pyelonephritis due to acute brucellosis was detected in the clinical and laboratory examination. Antibiotic treatment for brucellosis was given to patient for eight week and after treatment full recovery was seen. Patients with brucellosis may refer with symptoms of acute pyelonephritis in endemic areas for brucellosis. By using brucellos serologies to patients who have the symptoms of acute pyelonephritis may available in the diagnosis of this rare complication in areas where brucellosis is endemic.Objectives: Internal splinting is defined as early tendon transfer performed during or just after nerve repair followsing nerve injury and is a controversial issue. The objecstives of internal splinting are avoiding the use of long term external splinting, avoiding permanent hand deformities until the injured nerve is reinnervated and supporting sensorial recovery. In this paper we present our clinical cases of internal splinting and discuss the results in terms of indications, timing, advantages, and disadvantages of internal splinting. Materials and Methods: We applied internal splinting in 11 patients, 3 patients with radial nerve injury and 8 patients with ulnar nerve injury. Internal splinting was performed contemporarily with the nerve repair in 5 pastients, in 2 weeks following nerve repair in 1 patient and in 4 weeks following nerve repair in 5 patients. Pronator teres was transferred to extensor carpi radialis brevis and flexor carpi radialis was transferred to extensor digitorum communis in radial nerve injuries. Omer\s superficial Y technique and its modification were used for ulnar nerve injuries. Results: Patients were followed up for at least 1 year with physical examination and electroneuromyelography and recovery of sensorial and motor functions were achieved in all of them. Conclusion: We concluded that internal splinting is usesful for avoiding external splint usage and preventing the establishment of hand deformity until recovery of the nerve. The contribution of internal splinting to sensorial recovery was noteworthy as stated in the literature but the lack of control group and the small number of our cases was limited to come to a definite conclusion. We did not experience any disadvantage of internal splinting.

Evaluation of paracetamol distribution and stability in case of acute intoxication in rats

Effects of different storing conditions on paracetamol concentration in biological samples of acute intoxicated rats were investigated. The stability and distribution of paracetamol was observed in postmortem serum, liver, kidney and brain tissues. The serum samples were stored for 30 days and daily changes were evaluated for paracetamol. A significant difference (p = 0.05) was noticed on the 30th experimental day. Paracetamol serum levels changed as much as 66.30% and 33.78% for 4°C and −20°C, respectively. The stability of paracetamol in liver stored at −20°C was also evaluated for 30 days. The paracetamol concentration levels taken from liver samples dramatically decreased from 30.36% on the 1st day to 94.97% on the 30th day. The paracetamol distribution in organs was as 2.68 , 1.11 and 0.68 mg/g in liver, kidney and brain samples, respectively. Meaningful difference in paracetamol in serum and liver samples was in observed in 30th day values (p = 0.05).

Detection of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in formalin fixed rat tissues

The stability of drugs in formalin solution is an important factor in forensic investigation. Tissues (liver, lung, kidney, brain) taken from rats, which have been poisoned acutely with cocaine, were preserved in two different conditions, analyzed by GC-MS, and then compared. Organs of the first group were preserved and stored at −20°C without adding formalin, whereas the organs of the second group were preserved and stored in formalin solution at room temperature (25°C). Serum samples were taken immediately after poisoning and studied as well. In specimens stored at −20°C, cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine were detected in the tissues. Only benzoylecgonine was detected both in tissues and their formalin solution. It was observed that the distribution of cocaine in tissues had differed depending on the preservation conditions. The formalin solution in which benzoylecgonine was mostly detected was from liver. As a result, cocaine was detected in tissues stored at −20°C. It is recommended that both the formalin-fixed tissues and formalin solution should be analyzed concurrently to assure the accurate results (LOD = 3 ng/ml).

Methods of Ascertainment of Personal Damage in Turkey

This chapter illustrates the historical, judicial, and juridical framework of personal injury assessment and compensation in Turkey, describing the expert’s qualification and competences and detailing the ascertainment methodology and criteria of evaluation utilized for identifying, describing, and estimating any personal injury, its temporary and permanent consequences, and the causal value/link between the event and the injury and between the injury and the impairment/disability.

Cinsel Saldırılarda Kullanılan İlaçlar:Özellikleri ve Toksikolojik İncelemeleri

Cinsel saldirilarda kullanilan ve tecavuz hapi olarak adlandirilan ilaclar pek cok ulkede ortak suc fenomenidir. Tipik senaryoda saldirgan suphelenmeyen kisinin alkollu ya da alkolsuz icecegine sedatif etkili bir tecavuz hapi ekler. Ilac uygulamasindan sonra konfuzyon, hafiza kaybi, kas kontrol eksikligi, bas donmesi gibi semptomlar ve siklikla amnezi meydana gelmektedir. Cinsel saldirilarda kullanilan baslica ilaclar; γ-hidroksi butirat ve analoglari, klonazepam, alprazolam, flunitrazepam, oxazepam gibi benzodiazepinler, ketamin, barbituratlar, antidepresanlar, kokain ve amfetamin gibi stimulanlardir. Bu ilaclarin cogu renksiz, kokusuz ve yuksek oranda alkolde veya diger iceceklerde hizlica cozunmektedir. Oral uygulamadan sonra hizlica emilerek elimine edilirler. Kurban; utanma, korku, inkar etme, adalete guvensizlik gibi duygusal travmalardan dolayi olay gerceklestikten birkac gun sonra polise ya da diger hukuk guclerine sikayette bulunabilir. Bu sebeple ilacin varligini dogrulamak icin kurbandan biyolojik ornegin ne zaman alindigini bilmek onemlidir. Bu calismada cinsel saldirilarda kullanilan tecavuz ilaclarina genel bir yaklasim sunulacaktir.

Spor Aktivitelerinde Ani Ölüm

Sporcularin toplumun en saglikli bireyleri oldugu dusunulmektedir. Bu nedenle bircok insan fiziksel aktivitelere katilmaktadir. Bununla birlikte, fiziksel aktiviteler esnasinda veya sonrasinda ani ve beklenmedik olumler meydana gelebilmektedir. Bu olumler kisisel ve cevresel faktorlerle iliskili olmakla birlikte, buyuk cogunlugu kalp hastaliklarindan kaynaklanmaktadir. Bu makalede ani spor olumlerinin sebepleri ve mekanizmasinin ele alinmasi amaclanmistir.