A one-year retrospective study of deaths due to hanging autopsied at government Kilpauk Medical College & hospital, Chennai Selvakumar R.1, Deepan J. S. Raghu2 1Professor & HOD, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Government Kilpauk Medical College & Hospital, Chennai-10 21st Year Post Graduate Student, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Government Kilpauk Medical College & Hospital, Chennai-600010 Abstract Hanging is a common method of committing suicide accounting for about 20% of medico-legal deaths reported in Govt. Kilpauk Medical College, in the year 2015. Among the 618 cases of hanging, two-thirds are men; 21–30 years of age is the most susceptible. Most of them are illiterates and dailywagers. Chronic depression, accounting for 26.6% of hanging deaths is the most common provoking factor. 95.3% of them hang in their home, most frequently in the evening times. Saree is the most commonly used hanging material and fan is the commonly encountered suspension point. Regarding the post-mortem findings, bluish discoloration of finger and toe nails and obliquity of the ligature mark are noted in majority of cases, while dribbling of saliva is noted in 0.9% of cases and Le facie sympathique in 2.1% of cases. Multiple ligature mark is seen in 11.6% of cases. In most of the cases ligature mark is present in upper one-third of the neck with patterned abrasion in 16.3% of cases. Sternocleidomastiod contusion is seen in 20.8% of cases. Carotid intimal tears are noted in 3.8% of cases. None of the cases had hyoid or laryngeal fractures. In addition to the socio-demographic profile and the various unique post-mortem findings, this study is to suggest some preventive measures to avoid fatalities. Top Keywords Hanging, Precipitation Factor, Ligature, Suspension Point, Le Facie Sympathique, Dribbling of Saliva, Carotid Tears, Hyoid Fracture. Top |