• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.101-106
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• 2017

Purpose: This study examined the patterns of drugs, poisons, and chemicals detected in autopsy samples performed in the Seoul Institute and other regional forensic offices of the National Forensic Service (NFS) between 2014 and 2016. Methods: The investigation carried out using the laboratory information management system. Forensic toxicological identification and quantitation were performed in autopsy samples, including heart blood, peripheral blood, liver, kidney, vitreous humor and etc. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were used to analyze the drugs and poisons. Results: Forensic autopsies were performed on 9,674 cases in this period. Based on the autopsy reports, 699 cases (7.2%) were considered as unnatural deaths caused by fatal intoxication. The number of male deaths was higher than that of female deaths, with the age of 50-59 being the most common age group. Conclusion: Drugs comprised the largest number of deaths due to poison, followed by alcohol, agrochemicals, drug with alcohol, carbon monoxide, and cyanide, in that order. Zolpidem was the most frequently used drug in all drug-related intoxication cases.

• 약학회지
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.341-347
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• 2010

The majority of forensic autopsies in Korea are performed by the National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI), and the NISI has carried out about 4,000 cases annually. Total 4,578 autopsies were performed by NISI in 2009, among them 2,918 cases (64%) were carried out at main office of NISI in Seoul, which is in charge of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi province. In this study we investigated pattern of drugs & poisons in autopsy cases for recent three years in Korea. Postmortem specimens (bloods, gastric contents, etc) from autopsy cases by main office of NISI during 2007~2009 were screened for drugs & poisons. Using laboratory information management system of NISI (iLIMS), the kinds of drugs & poisons and the frequency were investigated. As the results, 1,705 cases were negative to drugs & poisons, it occupied 58% of total 2,918 autopsy cases in 2009. During three years (2007~2009), the kinds of drugs & poisons detected in specimens were 206, 185 and 203, respectively, and top three drugs were atropine (anticholinergic), chlorpheniramine (antihistamine) and lidocaine (local anaesthetic/anti-arrythmic). These drugs were supposed to be used not so much for suicidal or homicidal purpose as for therapeutic purpose in hospital. Meanwhile cyanide showed the highest frequency of poisons during 2007~2009, and the frequency was 32 cases in 2009. In case of pesticides, poisoning by paraquat (herbicide, 17 cases) showed the highest frequency, and methomyl (insecticide, 9 cases) and glyphosate (herbicide, 7 cases) were followed. Finally we selected 62 drugs as target drugs for systematic toxicological analysis (STA) for Korea. Poisons such as pesticides, natural toxins, volatile compounds should be included for STA in further study.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제8권12호
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• pp.256-263
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• 2008

본 연구는 범죄로 인한 사망의 원인을 수사하는 최일선 국가기관인 수사경찰관의 사법부검에 대한 인식을 분석하여 문제점을 파악하고, 정책적 함의를 제시하였다. 본 연구에서는 다음과 같은 정책대안을 도출하였다. 첫째, 유족의 부검동의를 이끌어 내기 위하여 검안의사와 수사경찰이 합동으로 수사 상황과 검안의 결과를 유족의 대표 등에게 설명하는 합동설명의 기회와 사전 유족의 의견수렴의 절차가 필요하다. 둘째, 부검 참관인을 최소화하고, 여성변사자에 대한 특별한 배려가 있어야 할 것이다. 부검의 견학은 반드시 유족의 동의를 얻도록 하고, 외부인의 부검실 출입을 금지하여야 한다. 셋째, 부검절차의 신속을 기하기 위하여 일정한 범위내의 변사체의 경우 사후 영장이 가능한 가이드 라인을 설정하는 것이 필요하다. 또한 유족이 적극적으로 부검을 원하는 경우 가칭 ‘부검요청서’ 등으로 부검이 가능토록 하여야 할 것이다. 끝으로, 부검시행여부에 대하여 현장에서 변사사건을 직접 수사한 경찰과 검찰의 의견이 다른 경우, 검사와 수사경찰이 합동으로 현장 수사 후 부검을 결정하는 절차가 필요하며, 부검은 유족의 의사를 가능한 존중하여 필요한 경우에 한하여 실시해야 할 것이다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제58권1호
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• pp.30-35
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• 2015

Objective : The clinical and pathological characteristics of 10 cases of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA)-related cerebral lobar hemorrhage (CLH) that was diagnosed at autopsy were investigated to facilitate the diagnosis of this condition. Methods : The clinical characteristics of 10 cases of CAA-related CLH were retrospectively reviewed, and a neuropathological examination was performed on autopsy samples. Results : The 10 cases included two with a single lobar hemorrhage and eight with multifocal lobar hemorrhages. In all of the cases, the hemorrhage bled into the subarachnoid space. Pathological examinations of the 10 cases revealed microaneurysms in two, double barrel-like changes in four, multifocal arteriolar clusters in five, obliterative onion skin-like intimal changes in four, fibrinoid necrosis of the vessels in seven, neurofibrillary tangles in eight, and senile plaques in five cases. Conclusion : CAA-related CLHs were located primarily in the parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. These hemorrhages normally consisted of multiple repeated CLHs that frequently bled into the subarachnoid space. CAA-associated microvascular lesions may be the pathological factor underlying CLH.

• The Korean Journal of Legal Medicine
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.111-125
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• 2018

Statistical analysis was performed on national forensic autopsy data collected in the Republic of Korea, with the exception of Ulsan, during 2017. A total of 8,777 cases were categorized based on the region; information was provided by the Police Agency and the Coast Guard regarding sex, age, manner of death, and cause of death. Analysis of the manner of death revealed that 3,971 cases (45.2%) were unnatural deaths, 3,679 cases (41.9%) were natural deaths, and 1,127 cases (12.8%) were unknown deaths. Among the unnatural deaths, the majority of the cases (1,740 cases, 43.8%) were accidents, 1,316 cases (33.1%) were suicide, 385 cases (9.7%) were homicide, and 530 cases (13.3%) were undetermined deaths. Among the unnatural deaths, the majority of the cases (1,575 cases, 39.7%) were trauma, followed by 793 cases (20.0%) of poisoning and 689 cases (17.4%) of asphyxia. Falling down was the major cause of death by trauma (737 cases, 46.8%). As a result of the classification of asphyxia based on previous study, strangulation was the major cause, with 538 cases (78.1%). Among the natural deaths, heart disease was the major cause (1,790 cases, 48.7%), followed by vascular disease (697 cases, 18.9%).

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.429-431
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• 2017

Hydatid cyst is usually located in the liver and lungs, rare cases showing localization in other organs or tissues. In the unusual location, echinococcosis is an excluding diagnosis that is established only after microscopic evaluation. Our first case occurred in a 67-year-old female previously diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and hospitalized with persistent pain in the hip joint. The clinical diagnosis was tuberculosis of the joint, but the presence of the specific acellular membrane indicated a hydatid cyst of the synovial membrane, without bone involvement. Fewer than 25 cases of joint hydatidosis have been reported in literature to date. In the second case, the intramural hydatid cyst was incidentally discovered at autopsy, in the left heart ventricle of a 52-year-old male hospitalized for a fatal brain hemorrhage, as a result of rupture of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm. The conclusion of our paper is that echinococcosis should be taken into account for the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions, independently from their location.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제45권9호
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• pp.1065-1074
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• 2002

목 적 : 영아 돌연사에 있어서 그 역학적 특성을 알아보고 사인을 밝히는데 병력에 대한 자세한 검토, 사망 당시 상황에 대한 조사, 그리고 부검 및 대사 이상 검사 등 사후 검사의 중요성에 대하여 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 1987년 2월부터 2001년 12월까지 14년 8개월간 갑작스런 사망으로 응급실을 방문한 1세 미만의 영아 34례를 대상으로 하여 이들의 임상기록을 후향적으로 조사하여 이들의 역학적 특성을 조사하였다. 과거 병력에 대한 검토, 사망 당시 상황에 대한 조사 및 부검을 실시한 13례의 기록과 2000년 이후 시행한 혈액, 소변, 담즙 및 간조직에서의 사후 아실카르니틴 및 유기산 분석 검사를 통하여 사망의 원인을 분석하였다. 결 과 : 1) 성별 및 연령별 분포 : 총 34례 중 남아 18명(52.9%), 여아 16명(47.1%)으로 남아에서 많이 발생하였고 연령별 분포는 생후 6개월 이하가 31례 (88.2%)로 가장 많은 분포를 차지하였다. 2) 사망시각은 오전 6-12시에 18례(52.9%)로 가장 많은 분포를 보였다. 3) 계절적 분포는 겨울에 가장 많이 사망하였고 13례(38.2%)였다. 4) 사망 발견시 수면 자세를 알 수 있었던 15례 중 복와위가 9례, 앙와위는 6례였다. 5) 병력과 사망 당시 상황으로도 죽음의 원인을 설명할 수 없는 경우가 23례였고 이중 부검을 실시한 13례 중 특이한 병리 소견을 발견할 수 없어 SIDS로 진단을 내린 경우가 7례였고 6례는 부검을 통하여 사망의 원인을 밝힐 수 있었다. 부검을 통해 밝혀진 사인으로는 심내막 섬유 탄성증 1례, 췌도 세포증 1례, 간의 지방 변화로 지방산 대사 이상을 의심할 수 있었던 2례, 경막하 및 경막외 출혈 1례, 기관지폐렴이 1례였다. 선천성 대사 이상 질환은 부검상 총 3례에서 의심되었으나 당시에는 대사 이상 검사가 시행되지 못하였고 2000년부터 시행한 대사 이상 검사에서는 모두 정상 소견이었다. 결 론 : 자세한 병력과 사망 상황에 대한 조사와 함께 부검은 사망의 원인을 밝히고 영아 돌연사 증후군을 진단하는데 필수적이라고 할 수 있으며 앞으로 우리나라에서도 부검의 중요성을 인지하고 이를 적극적으로 시행하여야겠고 지방산 대사 이상을 포함하는 대사 이상 검사도 아울러 적극적으로 시행하여야 할 것이다.

• 한국심리학회지 : 문화 및 사회문제
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.119-130
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• 2015

본 연구의 목적은 심리부검을 통해 전북지역의 자살실태를 파악하는 것이었다. 연구대상은 2013년 5월부터 2014년 4월까지 1년간 전북지역에서 발생한 자살사망자 중 심리적 부검에 동의한 42건의 사례로, 사망자의 직계가족을 대상으로 반구조화된 심리면담을 실시하였다. 그 결과 자살 사망자중 71%가 과거의 자살시도 경험이 있었으며, 50%에서 자살가족력이 보고되었다. 자살의 추정원인으로는 정신 질환(38%)이 가장 빈번하였으며, 그 다음으로는 대인관계 문제(31%), 가정 문제(11%)순이었다. 사망자가 진단받은 정신 질환은 우울증이 가장 빈번하였는데, 대부분이 과거에 치료를 받았지만 사망 당시에는 치료를 받지 않았던 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 결과는 자살이 정신 질환과 정신질환에 대한 적절한 개입 실패와 연관되어 있음을 시사한다. 또한 과거 자살시도나 자살 가족력이 있는 대상에 대한 집중적 자살예방개입의 중요성을 시사한다. 끝으로 본 연구의 의의, 제한점에 대해 논의하였다.

• The Korean Journal of Legal Medicine
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.168-171
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• 2018

In Korea, small octopus (Octopus minor) and webfoot octopus (Octopus ocellatus) are food items and fatal laryngeal choking due to ingestion of live octopus is not uncommon. We recently encountered two autopsy cases of accidental choking on small octopus and webfoot octopus. Case 1 involved a 58-year-old fisherman who ingested two live webfoot octopuses in his fishing boat and collapsed. He was immediately taken to the hospital but died. During autopsy, one of the webfoot octopuses was found between his pharynx and esophagus; it was obstructing the epiglottis and upper esophagus. His blood alcohol concentration was 0.140%. Case 2 involved a 55-year-old man who ingested an intact body part of a small octopus and was found dead in his house. He had a history of cerebral infarction and angina pectoris. During autopsy, an intact body part of the small octopus was found to be lodged in the laryngeal inlet.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.167-173
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• 1980

From 1976 through June 1980, 75 patients underwent Open heart operation at Korea University Hospital.Of the 75 patients, 39 were congenital heart cases and 36 were acquired heart disease cases. 39 cases of congenital heart disease were consisting of 16 T.O.F.,4 A.S.D., 10 V.S.D., 3 P.S., 1 P.D.A., 1 V.S.D. + Mi, 1 Truncus arteriosus, 1 Ebstein, 1 D.C.R.V., 1 Single ventricle. Among 36 valvular replacement cases, 18 cases of MVR, 3 cases of AVR, 6 cases of Double valve replacement, and 10 cases of Open Mitral commissurotomy, were performed. Postoperative mortality rate of congenital heart disease was 25.6% and that of acquired heart disease was 8.3%. Overall mortality rate of open heart surgery was 17.3%. Among 16 cases of postoperative death cases, 5 cases of autopsy were performed. Postoperative cause of death of our series were intracranial bleeding, pacemaker failure, low output syndrome, protamine anaphylaxis, bleeding, prosthetic valve embolism, C V A, miliary tuberculosis, hypothermia due to pump failure.