ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to discuss the sociodemographic characteristics of the near hanging cases, as well as the complications of hanging and the criteria of life hazard in the light of their clinical processes.

We present 9 cases who survive after suicide attempt by hanging from the Forensic Medicine Outpatient Clinic of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Education and Research Hospital.

Of the nine cases, 3 were female and 6 were male. The mean age was 40.1 years and the age range ranged from 20-84 years. There was one case in 2015, 4 cases in 2016 and 4 cases in 2017. The crime scene was prison in 3 cases, one was in a forest and the other 5 were in the house. Four cases were married, 2 were single, marital status of 3 cases who had attempted hanging in prison was unclear. Hanging attempt in the prison, while using rope, bed sheet and tracksuit rope, a hanging attempt in the forest used his own clothes, in other cases the suicide tool was seen to be rope

In 6 cases, the abrasion detected in the neck indicating that it was exposed to hanging. In 2 cases, no lesion was found on the neck and one of them described pain in the neck. In one case there was no record of any traumatic lesion on the neck. The reasons that appear before suicide; is not clear in one of the cases in prison, the cell punishment in one, the other is being alone in the ward, 5 of the other cases of family reasons and not to get along with his wife and was not clear in one case.

Four patients had no loss of consciousness. Five cases reported partial or complete loss of consciousness. It was concluded that none of the cases in the first hospital admittance, vitality and Glasgow Coma Scale were life-threatening, 8 of them were able to be corrected by simple medical intervention and in 1 patient by simple medical intervention.

Suicide is a public health problem that concerns both the patient and his / her close environment and society. In this study, sociodemographic data of 9 patients who had attempted suicide with a hangover and survived the study examined the clinical conditions and complications, and the vital hazard criteria for forensic report.

Keywords: Hanging, Forensic Medicine, Near-Hanging, Asphyxia