Hyoid Bone

[Guest guest]

Curiosity if I may,

The Hyoid bone. I was talking to someone the other day and they were

stating that the dislocation of this bone- although not attached to

any other bone can bring immediate death. This came as quite a shock

to me. Does anyone have any information about such a thing?

 

Thank you in advance,

Michael

[Guest guest]

Hi Michael,

We discussed the hyoid bone in A & P class and it was mentioned

that in forensic medicine they often looked for the hyoid to be

fractured to confirm cases of strangulation. Nothing was

mentioned about hyoid dislocation, per se, causing death.

I believe cause of death is constriction of the airway. Kit

 

I did find this:

" Is the hyoid bone always broken in a case of manual strangulation?

 

No. The hyoid bone is a thin, u-shaped bone in the neck just above the Adam's

Apple which is very supple, pliable and bendable when we are young and, thus,

hard to fracture. It becomes calcified and more brittle, as we get older, so

that it is more likely to fracture when the neck is squeezed by the hands of

another. "

<http://www.hbo.com/autopsy/files_html/sub_pages/page41a.html#6>http://www.

hbo.com/autopsy/files_html/sub_pages/page41a.html#6

 

In cases of strangulation, the hyoid bone is usually broken, and there is

normally bruising if the victim was manually strangled and ligature marks if

some kind of device, such as a cord, rope or belt were used.

<http://www.crimelibrary.com/classics5/binion/13.htm>http://www.crimelibrar

y.com/classics5/binion/13.htm

 

 

Also:

The Hyoid Bone. - Work on the anterior portion of the neck consists in

affecting

the condition of groups of muscles forming the floor of the mouth and

extrinsic

muscles of the larynx.

The Hyoid bone is the movable part which can be grasped by the physician's

fingers. Drawing it downward and to the right, as in Fig. 222, relaxes the

stylo-hyoid and posterior belly of the digastric. A contractured condition of

these muscles may affect the pneumogastric nerve.

<http://www.meridianinstitute.com/eamttasker/task22.htm>http://www.m

eridianinstitute.com/eamttasker/task22.htm

 

The hyoid can be pulled forward using several techniques to help open the

airway.

Difficulty in swallowing can be noted if the hyoid is oversuspended or pulled

too far.

<http://www.mcw.edu/oto/hyoid-osas.htm>http://www.mcw.edu/oto/hyoid-osas.htm

 

 

 

 

At 01:12 PM 11/20/02 +0000, you wrote:

>

> Curiosity if I may,

> The Hyoid bone. I was talking to someone the other day and they were

> stating that the dislocation of this bone- although not attached to

> any other bone can bring immediate death.  This came as quite a shock

> to me.  Does anyone have any information about such a thing?

>

> Thank you in advance,

> Michael

>

>

>

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