Medico-legal significance of diatoms detection in different organs of drowning victims

Abstract

Background: Drowning is a main universal community health problem & In Medico-Legal Aspect the autopsy diagnosis of drowning presents one of the major problems especially when there is delay in recovering the victim from water.This study concentrates on the significance of diatoms detection in different organs to reach more accurate diagnosis of drowning. Objective: To determine the diagnostic features of drowning depending on detection of diatoms in deep tissues of drowning victims. Methods: This study was performed at Medico-legal Directorate (M.L.D.) in Baghdad for (12) months within the period from 1/1/2018-31/12/2018. Full proper autopsy including external and internal examination of the body for all cases was performed, after obtaining complete medico-legal history, in addition to diatoms detection in different organs of drowning victims to determine the cause of the death as due to drowning. Results: The study included (60) cases, (52) male and (8 ) female with their ages ranged between ( 15-44 years old) for male, while ages ranged between (1-44 years old) for females. Drowning was the cause of death in all cases. Among the most important results of this study is the presence of diatoms in the different organs of the drowning cases. The diatoms were found in the lung in all drowning cases (100%), and found in other organs in a percentage that increased with the duration of immersion. Conclusion: Drowning is the 10th cause of violent deaths in Baghdad. And important point in the diagnosis of drowning by detection of diatoms in different organs of drowning cases and pennate diatoms was common type in Iraqi waters and also study showed Aulacasiera granulata sp. common in Iraq.