Emergency Department Presentations of Strangulation in Intimate Partner Violence Relationships

Abstract

Patients presenting to the emergency department after strangulation are in need of specialized care and treatment. Patient presentations after nonfatal strangulations vary dramatically; however, regardless of variation, no assumptions should be made about the seriousness of the injury. The clinician's goal should be a thorough assessment and evaluation, followed by treatment in accordance with individual patient needs. One way to ensure this comprehensive care is through the implementation of forensic nursing care and a detailed nonfatal strangulation assessment. In this case report, three different cases of women who reported to the emergency department after strangulation by their intimate partners are presented. Although all three patients presented differently, it is imperative to remember that not all patients present in the same manner, and therefore, bias associated with lack of injury, or presentation with injury, should not deter the treatment provided.

Reconstruction of Trauma Dynamics Due to Ligature Strangulation by Using a Dynamometer: A Technical Report

“…The experimental model ultimately concluded that the amount of force applied, irrespective of the victim's attempts at self-defense, exceeded 5 kg, and was enough to cause blood vessels in the neck to constrict [ 10 - 14 ]. These findings were presented in Court as scientific evidence that the manner and force of the strangulation were indeed consistent with an attempted murder [ 15 - 16 ].…”