Title |
Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings
|
---|---|
Published in |
Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, April 2014
|
DOI | 10.1007/s12024-014-9554-7 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Anke Klein, Carolin Schröder, Axel Heinemann, Klaus Püschel |
Abstract |
Determining the cause of death and differentiating self-inflicted injuries from non-self-inflicted injuries is a primary goal in legal medicine. Especially with unidentified decedents, autopsy findings alone are often not sufficient; there is no knowledge of pre-existing conditions and only circumstantial evidence is available from the scene of death. In our case, radiological, histological, and toxicological examinations provided an explanatory model for extraordinary autopsy findings consistent with pica, a rare eating disorder. In cases of pica, variable and potentially lethal complications emerge, depending on the type and amount of material ingested. Our case is of an apparently uncontrolled intake of wooden objects (xylophagia). The resulting mechanical damage to the gastrointestinal tract and subsequent soft tissue damage supports that this behavioral disorder is not only of medical concern, but also identifies it as a mental disease with medico-legal relevance. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United States | 1 | 25% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 25% |
Unknown | 2 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
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Members of the public | 3 | 75% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 25% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
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Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Master | 5 | 18% |
Student > Bachelor | 4 | 14% |
Professor | 3 | 11% |
Researcher | 2 | 7% |
Other | 1 | 4% |
Other | 2 | 7% |
Unknown | 11 | 39% |
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Immunology and Microbiology | 1 | 4% |
Arts and Humanities | 1 | 4% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 1 | 4% |
Other | 1 | 4% |
Unknown | 12 | 43% |