External Findings in Deaths Due to Hanging at NsCB Medical College, Jabalpur, MP.

Introduction: In the year of 2012 Jabalpur has reported highest rate suicides of 45.1 among 53 mega cities across India. This study focuses on external findings in cases of deaths due to hanging so as to get a comprehensive profile of findings. Material and Methods: The details about the victims with regard to the age, sex, and type of ligature material, details of ligature mark were obtained prospectively during postmortem examination. Results: single turn was observed in 94 (83.92%) cases. Out of 112 cases of hanging the mark was incompletely encircling the neck in 102 (91.07%), was obliquely placed in 104 (92.85%) cases, and placed above thyroid cartilage in 106 (94.64%) cases. Breadth of the ligature mark in maximum number of cases i.e. 56 (50%) cases, was between 1.1 to 2 cm. commonly, the soft ligature materials were used by the victims. Discussion: In this study, in most of the cases, the mark was incompletely encircling the neck (91.07%). similar finding was observed in the study done by sarangi6 (97.87%). collectively, soft ligature material was used most commonly [46 (41.07%) cases]. similar findings were observed in study done by Naik and Patil8 (soft material, 53.97%). salivary stains over angle of mouth and anterior aspect of chest over cloths were observed in 33.92% cases. Our findings similar to those of study done by shaikh et al11 (38.37%). Conclusion: Mostly the mark of hanging is oblique, incomplete and above thyroid cartilage. soft cloth is more commonly used as ligature material by the victims of suicide. External injuries other than ligature mark are found in some cases and are not common. Salivary stains over angle of mouth and anterior part of chest petechial hemorrhages and cyanosis are not present in all cases, so these are not universal findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]