NCJ Number
136676
Journal
Japanese Journal of Legal Medicine Volume: 45 Issue: 5-6 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 404-410
Date Published
1991
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The mechanism of pulmonary artery congestion in strangulation was examined in a study in Japan, using guinea pigs that were killed after having been anesthetized, either by strangulation by gauze or by cutting the carotid arteries.
Abstract
The pulmonary arteries were observed with both light and scanning electron microscopes. Results revealed that the bead-like contraction of the pulmonary artery induced by asphyxia is due mainly to the contraction of the partial sphincter musculature. The contraction of endothelial cells was also observed. In addition, immunocytochemistry was used to observe the increase in blood concentration of noradrenaline and the invasion of this catecholamine into endothelial cells of the pulmonary artery. Results supported previous data showing that endothelial cells react to some circulating biogenic substances increasing in the pulmonary artery in asphyxia. Photographs and 14 references