Variations In Lung Weight as An Indicator in Drowning Deaths

Introduction: Drowning is a form of asphyxial death where air enters the lungs due to submersion of the mouth and nostrils into water or fluid medium. It is a leading cause of unintentional deaths, particularly in rivers and canals. The chances of drowning increase with time spent near water bodies and the distance of water bodies from the person's residence. Objectives: To determine effect of drowning on the weight of lungs. Methods: Data was collected from drowning cases of adult population which met our inclusion criteria from 1 Jan 2021 to 30 June 2022. Total number of cases are 54. Result: Average weight of four studies on normal organ weight at autopsy it was found that there was a increase of 4.78% and 10.8% in weight of right and left lung respectively in males. In females there was increase of 11.5% in weight of right lung and 18.72% increase in weight of left lung. Conclusion: Weight of lungs increased in cases of drowning