Key result
Blunt precordial trauma from domestic violence triggers fatal commotio cordis in rare homicidal cases.
Why the study?
There are no published reports on commotio cordis caused by physical abuse from an intimate partner, highlighting a gap in forensic cardiology knowledge.
Case Report (n=2)
This report highlights that fatal commotio cordis can occur as a result of domestic violence, emphasizing the importance of accurate forensic diagnosis for judicial fairness.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May prompt forensic consideration of commotio cordis in domestic violence fatalities; leaves open broader incidence and diagnostic criteria.
Commotio cordis is a rare and fatal mechano-electric arrhythmogenic syndrome, occurring mainly during sports activities. The present study describes two cases of sudden death due to homicidal commotio cordis caused violence from an intimate partner. The two decedents were both young women. They suffered from physical abuse by their intimate partner and collapsed immediately after being punched in the precordium. Electrocardiograms were recorded at the hospital and showed ventricular fibrillation in one case. An autopsy was performed in each case, and no structural cardiac damage, evident lesions of other internal organs or underlying diseases were found. Combined with the negative toxicological analysis, it was concluded that the cause of death was commotio cordis due to a blunt force to the anterior chest. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no published report on commotio cordis caused by physical abuse from an intimate partner. The accurate diagnosis of the cause of death is emphasised, as it is important for judicial fairness.
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Mu et al. (2015) conducted a case report in Commotio cordis (n=2). Blunt force to the anterior chest (domestic violence) was evaluated on Sudden death. Blunt force to the anterior chest during domestic violence caused fatal commotio cordis in two young women, highlighting a rare homicidal etiology for this arrhythmogenic syndrome.
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