An unusual decapitation injury

Öz

Ninety-three years ago, the term “Isadora Duncan Syndrome” came to be associated with neck injuries due to the entanglement of a long scarf around the neck. Somewhere in time it became synonymous with “Long Scarf Syndrome” when more such accidental cases were reported, mainly because long scarves had become a fashion fad in the west in the early 1920s. In South Asia, however, a long scarf is replaced by a dupatta which is part of traditional attire. Many such cases have been reported, particularly when women are riding a rickshaw or a motorcycle. Driving without proper protection further increases the risk of injury. These accidents are largely preventable if proper attention is given to the causes leading to it.Among other fatal causes, death due to decapitation, especially related to traffic accidents, is very rarely found in the practice of forensic medicine. Decapitation or beheading is defined as the total separation of the head from rest of the body; such an injury is fatal. We hereby report a case of decapitation injury involving an adult female, age 65, who died instantly when her dupatta accidentally got entangled in the rear wheel of the motorcycle on which she was riding pillion. This rare, unusual case baffled both the police and the authors. A thorough examination, however, revealed the absence of sharp or sharp, heavy-force injuries.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Isadora Duncan Syndrome
• Long Scarf Syndrome
• decapitation
• beheading
• accident
• road traffic accident

Kaynakça

1. Ahmad M, Sinha P, Al-tamimi Y, Sylvester D, Dezso A, Timo- thy J. The Isadora syndrome: A case report of cervical, oe- sophageal and tracheal transection in a go-karting accident. Br J Neurosurg 2011;25:310-2.
2. Mugadlimath A, Sane M, Kallur S, Patil M. Survival of a vic- tim of Isadora Duncan syndrome: A case report. Med Sci Law ;53:219-22.
3. Gowens P. Survival from accidental strangulation from a scarf resulting in laryngeal rupture and carotid artery steno- sis: the “Isadora Duncan syndrome”. A case report and review of literature. Emerg Med 2003;20:391-3.
4. Backett E. Domestic Accidents. Available at: https://apps. who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/39742/WHO_PHP_26. pdf. cited: 18 November 2020 .
5. Rothschild M, Schneider V. Decapitation as a result of sui- cidal hanging. Forensic Sci Int 1999;106:55-62.
6. Shorrock K. Suicidal Decapitation by Guillotine. Am J Fo- rensic Med Pathol 2002;23:54-6.
7. Turk E, Puschel K, Tsokos M. Features characteristic of ho- micide in cases of complete decapitation. Am J Med Pathol ;25:83-6.
8. Zoja R, Battistini A, Gentile G. Death With Complete Decapi- tation. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2009;30:303-6.

9. Betz P, Eisenmenger W. Unusual suicides with electric saws. Forensic Sci Int 1995;75:173-9.
10. Cina SJ, Koeplin JL, Nicholas C. A decade of train pe- destrian fatalities, the Charleston experience. J For Sci ;39:668-73.
11. Jain V, Agrawal M, Dabas V, Kashyap A, Sural S, Dhal A. Dupatta scarf : A unique cause of cervical spine injury in fe- males. Injury 2008;39:334-8.
12. Demirci S, Dogan KH. Death Scene Investigation from the Viewpoint of Forensic Medicine Expert, Forensic Medicine - From Old Problems to New Challenges. Available at: https:// www.intechopen.com/books/forensic-medicine-from-old- problems-to-new-challenges/death-scene-investigation- from-the-viewpoint-of-forensic-medicine-expert cited: 18 November 2020 .
13. Chand Meena M, Sachedeva N, Rani M, Rani Y. Acci- dents are caused, they do not happen. Scand J Forensic Sci ;19:7-9.
14. Krishan Vij. The Textbook of Forensic Medicine ‒ Princi- ples and Practice.5th ed. Chennai: Elsevier, 2011.
15. Deidiker R. Accidental Ligature Strangulation Due to a Roller-Type Massage Device. Am J Forensic Med Pathol ;20:354-6.