Fatal lawn mower related projectile injury
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CASE REPORT
Fatal lawn mower related projectile injury Bonnie Colville-Ebeling • Niels Lynnerup Jytte Banner
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Accepted: 11 February 2014 Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014
Abstract Fatal lawn mower related injuries are a relatively rare occurrence. In a forensic setting, the primary aim is to reconstruct the injury mechanism and establish the cause of death. A relatively rare, but characteristic type of injury is a so-called projectile or missile injury. This occurs when the operator or a bystander is impacted by an object mobilized from the grass by the rotating mower blades. This type of injury often leaves only modest external trauma, which increases the risk of overlooking an entry wound. In this paper we present a case of a fatal lawn mower related projectile injury which was initially overlooked, later interpreted as a possible gunshot homicide, and finally identified as a lawn mower related projectile injury when autopsy revealed a piece of metal thread in the main bronchus to the right middle lobe, hemopericardium, and right-sided hemothorax. To our knowledge, this injury mechanism has not previously been reported as a cause of death. This case illustrates the importance of postmortem radiological imaging and interdisciplinary cooperation when establishing manner and cause of death in unusual cases.
11.1/100.000 to 260/100.000, and injuries include amputations, lacerations, fractures, and burns [1–3, 7]. The most common mechanism of injury is sharp trauma from contact with the rotating blades, most commonly involving the extremities [2]. A relatively rare but characteristic injury mechanism is a so-called missile or projectile injury. This kind of injury occurs when an object, mobilized by the lawn mower blades, impacts the operator or a bystander. The projectile velocity depends on the rotational speed of the blades and the weight of the object. Velocities comparable to cartridge driven projectiles from hand weapons have been reported [8]. The injuries are often severe and life-threatening, requiring immediate medical treatment. A fatal outcome, however, is rarely seen [9–13]. Table 1 summarizes reported cases of lawn mower related projectile injuries. In a forensic setting fatal lawn mower related injuries are relatively rare and are mostly investigated with the purpose of reconstructing the injury mechanism and establishing the cause of death. Here we present an unusual case, which, to our knowledge, is the first report of a fatal lawn mower related projectile injury.
Keywords Projectile injury Lawn mower Fatal Entry wound Gunshot Case Introduction Lawn mower related injuries are a well-known cause of severe morbidity [1–6]. Incidence rates range from B. Colville-Ebeling (&) N. Lynnerup J. Banner Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Frederik V’s Vej 11, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark e-mail: [email protected]
A 49-year-old male was found lying lifeless in the grass of a dried-out water reservoir that he had been mowing. A colleague had been
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