Use of pacemaker programmers for disaster victim identification

Makinae, Haruka; Numata, Norio; Kitaoka, Hirofumi; Daimon, Masao; Yamamoto, Taira; Amano, Atsushi

doi:10.1007/s12024-013-9432-8

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Although a few studies have suggested the need of postmortem CIED analysis, it is still not performed routinely after autopsy. The findings of this study support the hypothesis that postmortem analysis of CIEDs offers valuable forensic and clinical information to the medical examiner in selected cases.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Why We Need Postmortem Analysis of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

Mauf

Jentzsch

Laberke

et al. 2016

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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The prevalence of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) is increasing. However, postmortem analysis of CIEDs is not performed routinely. Fourteen consecutive CIEDs were analyzed. The indication for and date of implantation, technical data, CIED reprogramming, heart rhythm disturbances, patient demographics and medical consultations were investigated. Death during the first year after implantation was seen in 54%, whereof 71% consulted a physician within 10 days before death. The time of death was attributed to a particular day in 29%. There was a relationship between CIEDs and cause/manner of death in 50%. Although limited by a small sample size, this study advocates the routine postmortem CIED analysis for forensic and clinical purposes in selected cases. Patients with CIEDs seem to show an increased risk of death during the first year after implantation. The analysis of CIEDs can be helpful in evaluating the time/cause/manner of death.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Besides malfunctioning of CIEDs in decedents was found in 15%, whereof approximately one‐third was life‐threatening due to postmortem in situ measurement of devices . For several years, the postmortem analysis of CIEDs has been emphasized again because it may accurately determine the cause, manner, and time of death as well as victim identification .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Why We Need Postmortem Analysis of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

Mauf

Jentzsch

Laberke

et al. 2016

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…This is particularly important in the case of unknown circumstances of the event or lack of witnesses [41]. One of its basic advantages is the possibility of identification of corpses, which is particularly important in the case of mass events, significant body damage, advanced decomposition or inability to be identify using commonly used methods, such as dental analysis or fingerprints [42]. Body identification is possible by reading the patient's data uploaded during device preparation before implantation.…”

Section: Forensic Medicinementioning

confidence: 99%

Remember by heart – the importance of post-mortem cardiac implantable electronic device analysis

Rzepczyk,

Migiel,

Bijata

et al. 2023

Eur J Trans Clin Med

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In recent years, the number of patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) has been steadily increasing. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are currently one of the primary methods of preventing sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients at risk. A post-mortem CIED examination, which these days is performed very rarely, as well as the analysis of the recordings may provide key information regarding the circumstances of the patient's death. This applies to both the potential impact of a defect or damage to the device in an event of the owner's death and the forensic analysis of the circumstances of death, especially when traditional post-mortem diagnostics do not provide a clear diagnosis. In addition, using the data stored on the device, it is possible to identify the corpse and precisely determine the time of death, which is crucial for the conducted expertise. Since it is a quick, cheap and widely available procedure, CIED analysis should be incorporated as a routine element of post-mortem diagnostics.

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“…For example, bone wires might indicate a history of thoracic surgery; the exact wire location, e.g., the rib cage or sternum, could provide a more specific history of surgery, such as for mediastinal or heart disease. Makinae et al (2013) used pacemaker programmers to noninvasively scan patient information from the pacemaker for DVI in the 2011 tsunami. The object type as well as the object location is important; because of these two reasons, a whole body X-ray before cremation is required.…”

Section: Forensic Use Of Medical Implantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disaster Victim Identification using Orthopedic Implants in the 2011 East-Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Numata¹,

Makinae

Yoshida

et al. 2017

Tohoku J. Exp. Med.

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On March 11, 2011, an earthquake (magnitude 9.0) devastated Japan's east coast, and the associated tsunami resulted in social and mechanical destruction. Search for the missing people is still ongoing. Surgical implants are common in the general population. Medical implants usually have lot numbers, and their forensic use is common for victim identification. This investigation was conducted mainly in the cities of Kamaishi and Otsuchi, both of which were affected by the tsunami disaster in 2011. We visited 6 mortuaries with the police between March 20 (9 days after the tsunami) and April 20 (40 days after the tsunami) to examine the presence of surgical scars and related information. Unidentified human remains were investigated by visual and tactile examination. We also visited temples where the ashes were preserved. If implants were found, their lot numbers and estimated surgical procedures were recorded to determine positive identification. Ten of 233 sets of unidentified human remains before cremation displayed characteristics of a potential past surgical history. However, only 2 of these 233 sets had orthopedic implants. Instead, non-combustible orthopedic implants were found and recognized in 8 of the 331 sets of unidentified human ashes in the temples after cremation; the lot numbers were fully legible in 2 of the 8 sets. We estimated the surgical procedures, which led to positive identification. In conclusion, lot numbers and the surgical knowledge of orthopedic surgeons could assist with the positive identification of disaster victims. However, the relevant information can be erased after cremation.

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Use of pacemaker programmers for disaster victim identification

Cited by 7 publications

References 9 publications

Why We Need Postmortem Analysis of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

Why We Need Postmortem Analysis of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices

Remember by heart – the importance of post-mortem cardiac implantable electronic device analysis

Disaster Victim Identification using Orthopedic Implants in the 2011 East-Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

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