Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm — unusual complication of an electric shock

• Published in: Forensic science international Vol. 122; no. 2; pp. 85 - 88
• Main Authors: Sprecher, W, Wenz, W, Haffner, H.T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.11.2001; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aneurysm; Aneurysms; Biological and medical sciences; Blood pressure; Cables; Cheek; Consciousness; Death; Electric currents; Electric Injuries - complications; Electricity; Electrocution; Electrocutions; Fainting; Fatal Outcome; Forensic Medicine; Hemorrhage; Human remains; Humans; Intracranial aneurysm; Intracranial Aneurysm - etiology; Intracranial Aneurysm - pathology; Investigations; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Neuropathology; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Rupture; Rupture - etiology; Skin; Spectrum analysis; Subarachnoid bleeding; Subarachnoid bleeding; Electrocution; Intracranial aneurysm; Shock; Human; Intracranial; Nervous system diseases; Legal medicine; Aneurysm; Postmortem; Cardiovascular disease; Male; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Case study; Autopsy; Central nervous system disease; Tissue rupture; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00475-3

Here we report about a 35-year-old electrical engineer who was found dead in his study. Postmortem examination revealed that death resulted because of subarachnoid and intraventricular hemorrhage caused by the rupture of an intracranial aneurysm. Right hand and left cheek revealed electrical marks with metallizations on skin, an electric shock was diagnosed to have preceded death. The close temporal correlation suggests that a sudden rise in blood pressure was caused by the electric current and was thus responsible for the rupture of the aneurysm.