Your browser version may not work well with NCBI's Web applications. More information here...
1: Forensic Sci Int. 2005 Dec 1;155(1):7-12. Epub 2004 Dec 13.Click here to read Links

Death due to neurogenic shock following gastric rupture in an anorexia nervosa patient.

Sinicina I, Pankratz H, Büttner A, Mall G.

Institute of Legal Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Frauenlobstrasse 7a, D-80337 Munich, Germany. inga.sinicina@rechts.med.uni-muenchen.de

We report a case of fatal gastric rupture discovered after death, which developed due to a bulimic attack of a 19-year-old woman suffering from anorexia nervosa. An autopsy revealed an acute gastric dilatation and rupture without commonly observed ischemic damage of gastric wall structures. However, it may be difficult to determine the cause of death despite the marked findings. The death as a consequence of neurogenic shock accounts for all the results of gross examination and histologic analysis. This case is the first reported case of fatal gastric rupture of an anorectic patient discovered after death.

PMID: 16216705 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]