The review of 32 deaths resulting from hypothermia yielded mostly the common pathological findings as bright red livores, haemolytic frost marks of the skin and Wichnewski erosions of the gastric mucosa. In addition the muscle system of the body core (musc. ileopsoas) showed hemorrhages and histologically necrosis of its fibres in form of segmental and discoid sarcoplasmatic alteration. These changes are a quite specific sign of death due to hypothermia, as far as mechanical injury can be excluded. For best result however a special autopsy technique and an appropriate histological staining are advisable.

Rechtsmedizin (1997) 7 : 90-94 9 Springer-Verlag 1997 Th. Sigrist 9 Ch. M a r k w a l d e r 9 G. G s t r e i n Seltene Forro einer cerebralen Embolie nach Karotistrauma Eingegangen: 24. Juni 1996 / Angenommen: 15. Juli 1996 A r a r e case of c e r e b r a l e m b o l i s m d u e to a b l u n t t r a u m a of t h e c a r o t i d a r t e r y A b s t r a c t A 66-year-old m a n was involved in a struggle with a younger man. During the fight the younger m a n grabbed the victim around the neck and hit his head several times against the floor. A few minutes later the victim became hemiparetic, aphasic and later unconscious. He was taken to hospital where he died 2 months later from urosepsis. The autopsy revealed a detached arteriosclerotic plaque of the left carotid artery and an infarction of parts of the left hemisphere. The left cerebral medial artery was blocked by a sequestrum of the calcified carotid intima. A direct causal connection between the trauma and death could be shown. K e y w o r d s Carotid artery -E m b o l i s m 9 T r a u m a -Arteriosclerosis

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Alterations of sceletal muscle in death due to hypothermiaSummary. The review of 32 deaths resulting from hypothermia yielded mostly the common pathological findings as bright red livores, haemolytic frost marks of the skin and Wichnewski erosions of the gastric mucosa. In addition the muscle system of the body core (musc. ileopsoas) showed hemorrhages and histologically necrosis of its fibres in form of segmental and discoid sarcoplasmatic alteration. These changes are a quite specific sign of death due to hypothermia, as far as mechanical injury can be excluded. For best result however a special autopsy technique and an appropriate histological staining are advisable.