An autopsy case of unusual massive gastrointestinal hemorrhaging

An autopsy case is presented involving massive gastrointestinal hemorrhaging. A 58-year-old woman was found dead with bloody patches on her body. An autopsy revealed a lacerated wound to the mucosa of the stomach and a sharp fish bone was found among bloody contents within the stomach. The duodenum and small intestines contained abundant tarry contents, but the mucosa of the intestinal tract was intact. The cause of death was certified as hemorrhagic shock due to massive bleeding from a wound to the gastric mucosa inflicted by a sharp fish bone. Therefore the possibility that some foreign body has been swallowed must be considered when forensic pathologists investigate cases with bleeding of unknown origin from the alimentary tract.