Carboxyhemoglobin Levels in a Series of Automobile Fires
| Autor: | Darren P. Wirthwein, John E. Pless |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1996 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male medicine.medical_specialty Adolescent Carboxyhemoglobin levels Poison control Crash Fires Pathology and Forensic Medicine chemistry.chemical_compound Cause of Death Injury prevention medicine Humans Cause of death Carbon Monoxide business.industry Accidents Traffic Middle Aged medicine.disease Carboxyhemoglobin chemistry Combustion products Emergency medicine Flash fire Wounds and Injuries Female Medical emergency business |
| Zdroj: | The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. 17:117-123 |
| ISSN: | 0195-7910 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/00000433-199606000-00007 |
| Popis: | The determination of death by trauma versus fire can be of major consideration, especially in civil product liability litigation. Blood carboxyhemoglobin levels can be instrumental in that differentiation. Twenty-eight fatalities involving fire in automobiles were reviewed. All subjects displayed some degree of body burn, and in 25 severe charring and/or incineration was present at autopsy. In only one case was there a history of explosion or flash fire. Carboxyhemoglobin levels varied from 92% to values of10%. In seven cases no collision occurred. In six of these subjects COHb values wereor = 47%. In all 16 cases with carboxyhemoglobin levels ofor = 10% a collision occurred. In 12 of 16 of these subjects, blunt force injury sufficient to cause death was discovered. Data presented in this article indicate that a carboxyhemoglobin level of30% strongly suggests inhalation of combustion products as the cause of death. In contrast, a level of20% should prompt a search for other causes. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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