Forensic Identification of Diving Deaths

doi:10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2020.400501

Abstract

Abstract:

Investigation of the cause of death during diving is one of the contents of forensic pathology. In this article, relevant foreign literature is reviewed to summarize the techniques and methods used in the identification of diving deaths, such as accident reconstruction, diving monitoring data, postmortem CT examination and gas analysis （location and quantity） in the body of the corpse, in order to provide a reference for forensic identification of such cases.

Key words: forensic pathology, submarine medicine, decompression sickness, review

CLC Number:

DF795.1

Wei WU, Bing-bing GUO, Jing-guo ZHANG, Rong-shuai WANG, Hong-bin RUAN, Liang LIU. Forensic Identification of Diving Deaths[J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2021, 37(5): 683-686.

Figures/Tables 1

References 17

1	EDMONDS C， BENNETT M， LIPPMANN J， et al. Diving and subaquatic medicine[M]. 5th ed. Boca Raton： CRC Press，2015.
2	EDMONDS C. A forensic diving medicine examination of a highly publicised scuba diving fatality[J]. Diving Hyperb Med，2012，42（4）：224-230. doi：10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-12-1210.
3	WHEEN L C， WILLIAMS M P. Post-mortems in recreational scuba diver deaths： The utility of radiology[J]. J Forensic Leg Med，2009，16（5）：273-276. doi：10.1016/j.jflm.2008.12.011.
4	DENOBLE P J， CARUSO J L， DEAR G L， et al. Common causes of open-circuit recreational diving fatalities[J]. Undersea Hyperb Med，2008，35（6）：393-406. doi：10.1016/S0039-6028（00）00336-8.
5	CASADESÚS J M， AGUIRRE F， CARRERA A， et al. Diagnosis of arterial gas embolism in SCUBA diving： Modification suggestion of autopsy techniques and experience in eight cases[J]. Forensic Sci Med Pathol，2018，14（1）：18-25. doi：10.1007/s12024-018-9951-4.
6	EDMONDS C， LOWRY C， PENNEFATHER J， et al. Diving and subaquatic medicine[M].4th ed. Boca Raton： CRC Press，2005：517-530.
7	AMSTRONG E J， ERSKINE K L. Investigation of drowning deaths： A practical review[J]. Acad Forensic Pathol，2018，8（1）：8-43. doi：10.23907/2018.002.
8	EDMONDS C， CARUSO J. Recent modifications to the investigation of diving related deaths[J]. Forensic Sci Med Pathol，2014，10（1）：83-90. doi：10.1007/s12024-013-9491-x.
9	LAURENT P E， COULANGE M， BARTOLI C， et al. Appearance of gas collections after scuba diving death： A computed tomography study in a porcine model[J]. Int J Leg Med，2013，127（1）：177-184. doi：10.1007/s00414-011-0662-6.
10	SHIOTANI S， KOHNO M， OHASHI N， et al. Cardiovascular gas on non-traumatic postmortem computed tomography （PMCT）： The influence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation[J]. Radiat Med，2005，23（4）：225-229.
11	SHIOTANI S， UENO Y， ATAKE S， et al. Nontraumatic postmortem computed tomographic demonstration of cerebral gas embolism following cardiopulmonary resuscitation[J]. Jpn J Radiol，2010，28（1）：1-7. doi：10.1007/s11604-009-0372-x.
12	PLATTNER T， THALI M J， YEN K， et al. Virtopsy-postmortem multislice computed tomography （MSCT） and magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in a fatal scuba diving incident[J]. J Forensic Sci，2003，48（6）：1347-1355. doi：10.1517/eotp.13.11.1725.23103.
13	LEVY A D， HARCKE H T， GETZ J M， et al. Virtual autopsy： Two- and three-dimensional multidetector CT findings in drowning with autopsy comparison[J]. Radiology，2007，243（3）：862-868. doi：10.1148/radiol.2433061009.
14	EDMONDS C， LIPPMANN J， LOCKLEY S， et al. Scuba divers’ pulmonary oedema： Recurrences and fatalities[J]. Diving Hyperb Med，2012，42（1）：40-44.
15	赵子琴. 法医病理学[M].4版.北京：人民卫生出版社，2009.
	ZHAO Z Q. Forensic pathology[M].4th ed. Beijing： People’s Medical Publishing House，2009.
16	BROWN C D， KIME W， SHERRER E L. Postmortem intravascular bubbling： A decompression artifact?[J]. J Forensic Sci，1978，23（3）：511-518.
17	HILL L E. Caisson sickness， and the physiology of work in compressed air[M]. NewYork： Longmans， Green & Co，1912.

气体产生原因	成分	分布	形成时间	参考文献
DCS	惰性气体和组织代谢气体	主要分布于静脉	环境减压后几分钟或1 h	[1，17]
PBT	和潜水设备中气体一致	动脉先出现	-	[1，7]
PMDA	惰性气体和组织代谢气体	动静脉均有	1~8 h	[7，9]
创伤	与环境气体一致	创口附近	-	[9]
CPR	复苏方式不同而存在差别	体内气体再分布	-	[9]
腐败	氢气、二氧化碳、甲烷和硫化氢	起始于胃肠道，其次是肝和血管	3~72 h	[7，10]
溺水	与环境气体一致	胃肠道	-	[1，13，15]

气体产生原因	成分	分布	形成时间	参考文献
DCS	惰性气体和组织代谢气体	主要分布于静脉	环境减压后几分钟或1 h	[1，17]
PBT	和潜水设备中气体一致	动脉先出现	-	[1，7]
PMDA	惰性气体和组织代谢气体	动静脉均有	1~8 h	[7，9]
创伤	与环境气体一致	创口附近	-	[9]
CPR	复苏方式不同而存在差别	体内气体再分布	-	[9]
腐败	氢气、二氧化碳、甲烷和硫化氢	起始于胃肠道，其次是肝和血管	3~72 h	[7，10]
溺水	与环境气体一致	胃肠道	-	[1，13，15]

[1]	Wen LI, Hao-zhe LI, Chen CHEN, Wei-xiong CAI. Research Progress and Application Prospect of Facial Micro-Expression Analysis in Forensic Psychiatry [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(5): 493-500.
[2]	Zhong-hua WANG, Shu-jin LI. Research Progress on Molecular Biology of Human Height Estimation [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(5): 487-492.
[3]	Lu CHEN, Zhe ZHOU, Sheng-qi WANG. Process of Forensic Medicine in DNA Identification of Aged Human Remains [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(5): 478-486.
[4]	Yong ZENG, Dong-hua ZOU, Ying FAN, Qing XU, Lu-yang TAO, Yi-jiu CHEN, Zheng-dong LI. Research Progress and Forensic Application of Human Vascular Finite Element Modeling and Biomechanics [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(5): 471-477.
[5]	Yu-xin SUN, Xiao-juan GONG, Xiu-li HAO, Yu-xin TIAN, Yi-ming CHEN, Bao ZHANG, Chun-xia YAN. Screening of Genes Co-Associated with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Infectious Sudden Death in Infancy and Bioinformatics Analysis of Their Regulatory Networks [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(5): 433-440.
[6]	Yu YANG, Fan-zhang LEI, Yu-you DONG, Jian-long MA, Qi-qiang SHI, Xue-song YE. Retrospective Analysis of Death Cases of Oral Diphenidol Hydrochloride Poisoning [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(4): 393-398.
[7]	Fei FAN, Juan WU, Zhen-hua DENG. Application Progress of Objective Audiological Detection Techniques in Forensic Clinical Medicine [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(4): 360-366.
[8]	Qing-qing XIANG, Li-fang CHEN, Qin SU, Yu-kun DU, Pei-yan LIANG, Xiao-dong KANG, He SHI, Qu-yi XU, Jian ZHAO, Chao LIU, Xiao-hui CHEN. Research Progress on Microbial Community Succession in the Postmortem Interval Estimation [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(4): 399-405.
[9]	Qin SU, Qian-ling CHEN, Wei-bin WU, Qing-qing XIANG, Cheng-liang YANG, Dong-fang QIAO, Zhi-gang LI. Metabonomics Analysis of Brain Stem Tissue in Rats with Primary Brain Stem Injury Caused Death [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(4): 373-381.
[10]	Yu-qi CAO, Yan SHI, Ping XIANG, Yin-long GUO. Research Progress on Machine Learning Assisted Non-Targeted Screening Strategy for Identification of Fentanyl Analogs [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(4): 406-416.
[11]	Ran LI, Hong-yu SUN. Methods and Research Hotspots of Forensic Kinship Testing [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(3): 231-239.
[12]	Xiao-yan MA, Hong-yu SUN, Qing LI. Research Progresses of Tri-Allelic Patterns in Autosomal STR in Forensic DNA Analysis [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(3): 240-246.
[13]	Xu-dong ZHANG, Yao-ru JIANG, Xin-rui LIANG, Tian TIAN, Qian-qian JIN, Xiao-hong ZHANG, Jie CAO, Qiu-xiang DU, Jun-hong SUN. Postmortem Interval Estimation Using Protein Chip Technology Combined with Multivariate Analysis Methods [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(2): 115-120.
[14]	Hang CHEN, Jing HU, Zheng QIAO, Hong-xiao DENG, Min LÜ, Wei LIU. Research Progress on Biological Matrix Reference Materials in Forensic Toxicology [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(2): 176-185.
[15]	Hong-yan GAO, Guang-fu LIU, Jian WU, Peng-yu CHEN. Animal DNA Typing and Its Research Progress in Forensic Medicine [J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, 2023, 39(2): 161-167.