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Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings

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Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings. / Klein, Anke; Schröder, Carolin; Heinemann, Axel; Püschel, Klaus.

In: FORENSIC SCI MED PAT, Vol. 10, No. 3, 01.09.2014, p. 437-42.

Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Klein, A, Schröder, C, Heinemann, A & Püschel, K 2014, 'Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings', FORENSIC SCI MED PAT, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 437-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-014-9554-7

APA

Klein, A., Schröder, C., Heinemann, A., & Püschel, K. (2014). Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings. FORENSIC SCI MED PAT, 10(3), 437-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-014-9554-7

Vancouver

Klein A, Schröder C, Heinemann A, Püschel K. Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings. FORENSIC SCI MED PAT. 2014 Sep 1;10(3):437-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-014-9554-7

Bibtex

@article{806faae61ee6419b90d9f06a012280c9,
title = "Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings",
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.",
keywords = "Autopsy, Biopsy, Cause of Death, Fatal Outcome, Foreign Bodies, Homicide, Humans, Male, Pica, Predictive Value of Tests, Risk Factors, Suicide, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Wood, Wounds and Injuries",
author = "Anke Klein and Carolin Schr{\"o}der and Axel Heinemann and Klaus P{\"u}schel",
year = "2014",
month = sep,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1007/s12024-014-9554-7",
language = "English",
volume = "10",
pages = "437--42",
journal = "FORENSIC SCI MED PAT",
issn = "1547-769X",
publisher = "Humana Press",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Homicide or suicide? Xylophagia: a possible explanation for extraordinary autopsy findings

AU - Klein, Anke

AU - Schröder, Carolin

AU - Heinemann, Axel

AU - Püschel, Klaus

PY - 2014/9/1

Y1 - 2014/9/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Autopsy

KW - Biopsy

KW - Cause of Death

KW - Fatal Outcome

KW - Foreign Bodies

KW - Homicide

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Pica

KW - Predictive Value of Tests

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Suicide

KW - Tomography, X-Ray Computed

KW - Wood

KW - Wounds and Injuries

U2 - 10.1007/s12024-014-9554-7

DO - 10.1007/s12024-014-9554-7

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 24729065

VL - 10

SP - 437

EP - 442

JO - FORENSIC SCI MED PAT

JF - FORENSIC SCI MED PAT

SN - 1547-769X

IS - 3

ER -