Assessment of autopsied deaths DUE to hanging in Erzurum

Aim: Looking at mortality rates in our country, accidents and natural deaths, the most ones, are followed by suicide cases without gender discrimination. Suicide by hanging is the most commonly used suicide method currently. Method: In this study, 1788 cases of forensic examination and autopsy carried out through Erzurum Forensic Medicine Group Presidency between 01.01.2012 and 2016 were retrospectively examined. The 119 cases of hanging (6.7%) were also examined and researched in terms of demographic and judicial care. Results: In the case of suicide by hanging, male/female ratio was 1.7 (75/44, m: 63%, f: 37%), and the mean age was 34.7±18. 31 cases (25.2%) were atypical hanging, 88 cases (73.9%) were typical. There was no evidence of cervical dislocation in any cases when there was near-complete (n:118; 99.2%) telemetry. 104 of hanging were white type, as 15 came in purple. 92.4% (n:110) had soft tissue ecchymosis. Neither hyoid bone (HB) nor thyroid cartilage (TC) fractures were presented in 68 (57.1%) cases. 22 cases had only TC shavings (18.5%), as 17 cases had only HB shrinkage (14.3%). In 11 cases, there were both TC and HB fractures (9.2%), whereas 1 case had cricoid cartilage fracture (0.8%). Use of 11 antidepressant, 6 analgesic, 4 antipsychotic 4 narcotic, 3 ethanol and 1 antiepileptic was detected, whereas 88 were negative in toxicological analysis. 24 (20.1%) cases were found to have left a suicide note. Conclusion: The results suggested that all deaths and data of suicide victims in Erzurum and its surroundings were similar to other regions of Turkey. Increasing level of education countrywide may help to reduce numbers of cases of suicide.