Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Aim: Investigation of hyoid bone fractures in cases of mechanical asphyxiation and its importance in forensic medicine. Material and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine as a cross-sectional observational study. There was a total of 50 occurrences of neck compression resulting from hanging and garroting. The police officers gathered comprehensive information on the site of the crime investigative findings and pictures, and thoroughly examined the pertinent documents generated. Each deceased individual involved in the research underwent a standardized autopsy process. Following the examination of relevant evidence about hanging, ligature strangling, or throttling, the hyoid bone was surgically removed to determine whether it had been fractured. Results: The research covered a total of 50 identified cases (n=50). The majority of instances were associated with those of low socio-economic level. In the current study, a total of n=10 cases of hyoid bone fracture and n=6 cases of thyroid cartilage fracture were found. In hanging cases out of n=4 hyoid fractures n=3, the right side and n=2 were left side and n=1, were bilateral. In garroting cases out of a total of n=6 hyoid fractures n=4 cases were on the right side n=2, were on the left side and bilateral fractures were found in n=1 case and body fracture was found in n=1 case. Conclusions: Hyoid bone fractures were more often seen in adults above the age of 50. The fractures of the hyoid bone are influenced by many variables, including the magnitude of force exerted on the neck, the age of the individual, the stiffness of the hyoid, and the morphology of the hyoid bone.