Mehmet Akif İnanıcı

Histopathological differentiation of skin lesions caused by electrocution, flame burns and abrasion

The aim of this study was to reveal histopathological features for differential diagnosis of skin lesions caused by electrocution, flames and abrasions. Based on the causes of the lesions, cases were assigned into three groups. Group 1 included 30 deaths from electric shock. Group 2 included 30 individuals with flame burns who died in the fires. Group 3 included 30 deaths from traffic accidents, from which the individuals had abrasions. Data from the crime scene investigations and macroscopic and microscopic findings from the autopsies allowed determination of the cause of death in all cases. The features of the lesions examined under the light microscope were intraepidermal separation, subepidermal (dermoepidermal) separation, coagulation necrosis in the epidermis, nuclear elongation in the epidermis, dark-staining epidermal nucleus, depth of homogenization in the dermis, and nuclear elongation in the epithelium of hair follicles. A significantly high rate of electrical lesions had intraepidermal separation. The rate of subepidermal separation was slightly more significant in flame burns. A significantly higher rate of electrical lesions had both intraepidermal and subepidermal separation. The rate of coagulation necrosis in the epidermis was significantly the highest in electrical lesions. Although the severity of nuclear elongation was the most significant in electrical lesions, varying degrees of nuclear elongation in the epidermis were present in all three groups. Dark staining of the epidermal nuclei was present in all lesions except for one electrical lesion, though the severity of staining was significant in the abrasion group. The depth of homogenization was slightly more significant in the abrasion group. The rate of nuclear elongation in the epithelium of the hair follicles was significantly lower in the abrasion group. The results of this study revealed that certain morphological changes determined under a light microscope could help the differential diagnoses of electrical lesions, flame burns and abrasions.

The attitudes of medical students to autopsy

To assess the attitudes of medical students to autopsy, 6th year students in the Medical Schools located in Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa in Turkey were asked to participate in a questionnaire. In the questionnaire, the main questions were on the number of autopsies they had attended, the number of autopsies they had participated in, their reaction to the first autopsy, whether they felt the conditions were adequate or not and what would their objectives be upon deciding to perform an autopsy. In the evaluation, it was detected that most of the participants had attended an autopsy, only a minority had participated in autopsy and most of them felt uncomfortable and inadequate on performing autopsy. The results were discussed with respect to the literature.

The forensic evaluation of dental injuries in Istanbul, Turkey.

When a person is wounded in Turkey, he first attends hospital for treatment. The hospital is responsible for a report describing his injuries and their treatment and prognosis. The patient is then scanned by a specialist in forensic medicine who provides a final official report. In that report the lesions, the prognosis (including whether the injuries are life threatening or not) and the projected days away from daily activity are shown. In this study 18,317 cases which were examined in the second and the third Specialization Board of the Council of Forensic Medicine during 1996 were analyzed. Among them 112 cases were dental injuries. Dental injuries are reviewed according to their sex, causation, detail of injury, and they are compared to other studies.

Deaths from drug overdose and toxicity in Turkey: 1997-2001

Turkey is located on the main overland connection between Asia and Europe, making the country potentially vulnerable to drug trafficking and its associated harms. The aim of the present study is to explore the frequency of all deaths from drug overdose and toxicity in Turkey and to describe some of the characteristics of these deaths. We collected data on all deaths from drugs in Turkey between 1997 and 2001 using records from the Council of Forensic Medicine. Data obtained from autopsy reports were retrospectively analyzed. In the present study, 374 deaths from drugs were reported in Turkey, with a mortality rate of 0.17 per 100,000 population. Highest mortality rates were found in Istanbul (0.83) and Gaziantep (0.71). The mean age was 34.0, and most cases (71.7%) were below the age of 40. The proportion of female cases was 13.6%. Opiates were implicated in 91.5% of deaths and benzodiazepines in 25.9%. Two fifths (38.8%) of the cases involved use of more than 1 drug. In 36.6% of cases, the route of final drug administration was by injection. The most common location of death was at a home (33.7%). Interventions to reduce drug use nationally are urgently required. International cooperation in social-educational activities, scientific research, and security measures is essential for this war.