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Acute and recurring pericarditis are frequently encountered clinical entities. Given that severe complications such as tamponade and constrictive pericarditis occur rarely, the majority of patients suffering from acute pericarditis will have a benign clinical course. However, pericarditis recurrence, with its painful symptoms, is frequent. In effect, recent studies have demonstrated a beneficial role of colchicine in preventing recurrence, while also suggesting an increase in recurrences with the use of corticosteroids, the traditional first-line agent.

Suspicion of neonaticide often leads to a request for a forensic autopsy. In that setting, it is important to correlate autopsy findings with the history given by the mother. So far, caput succedaneum has not raised interest in forensic pathology. A caput succedaneum is a haemorrhagic oedema involving the skin and superficial fascia of the head that results from circulatory stasis caused by compression exerted by the uterus or cervix on the presenting part. It is usually seen with prolonged labour. We report a case of caput succedaneum in a forensic autopsy that overturned the mother's history of giving birth suddenly, consequently increasing the evidence of neonaticide.

Thyroglossal duct cysts arise from remnants of embryonic thyroglossal duct that connects the foramen cecum at the base of the tongue to the thyroid gland. The remnants enlarge secondary to secretions from the epithelial lining. Usually, thyroglossal cysts present as non-tender masses. However, they may also become infected, produce fistulas or give hoarseness and dysphagia. Rarely, especially if the mass is located at the base of the tongue, airway obstruction and dyspnea can ensue. This unusual presentation has been mainly seen in very young children and has caused death in about half of these cases. Nevertheless, in the adult population, very few cases of airway obstruction by thyroglossal duct cysts have been reported, only one being fatal. We present the case of a 55-year-old man who died from fatal asphyxia caused by a thyroglossal cyst.