Sudden death of amiddle aged male due to pulmonary tuberculosis exaggerated by minor trauma (Assault): A medico-legal case report and review of the literature Kumar Sanjay1,*, Millo Tabin2, Gupta Mohit3, Yadav Abhishek4, Mittal Anil Kumar5 1Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, VMMC, SJH, New. Delhi. Email id - drsanjayh2022@gmail.com 2Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS, New Delhi 3Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, VMMC, SJH, New Delhi 4Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS, New Delhi 5Director Professor & Head, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, VMMC, SJH, New Delhi *Corresponding Author: Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, VMMC, SJH, New Delhi. Email: drsanjayh2022@gmail.com
Online published on 12 July, 2017. Abstract Tuberculosis is the prototype of the granulomatous inflammatory diseases, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Immune reactions are usually involved in the development of granulomas (referred to as a tubercle in this disease) often characterized by the presence of central caseous necrosis, rare in other granulomatous diseases. Although it is uncommon but when exaggerated by some trauma it may account for sudden death. In this case a middle aged male, 40 years old, suffering from unknown chronic lung disease, with alleged history of assault, beaten by three persons, resulting in bleeding from mouth & nose was declared brought dead in hospital. On Postmortem examination externally there were multiple small bluish contusions over anterior aspect of chest. Internal examination revealed multiple cavities filled with caseous material in upper lobes of both lungs. Stomach contained about 30 ml of coffee ground fluid. Other cavities & organs were normal. Histopathological examination of sections of lungs revealed cavities with white caseous material. Microbiological examination showed features of Tuberculosis pneumonia (AFB positive slides). This case is reported to highlight the medico-legal issues regarding role of minor trauma due to assault in sudden death of a person suffering from chronic disease & the importance of Histopathology & microbiology to ascertain the cause of death. Top Keywords Tuberculous Pneumonia, Acid Fast Bacilli, Sudden death, Assault. Top |