Studies on Relationship between Sudden Infant Death and Asphyxia based on the Evaluation of Rebreathing Potential on Infant Bedding

采用动物模型评价了被认为与婴儿猝死有关的再呼吸潜力。其结果与以往研究中机械模拟呼吸模型的结果相似。由于其技术简单，机械模拟呼吸模型将比动物实验模型更有用的再呼吸潜力的评价。此外，还对包括死亡现场在内的5起死亡案件进行了分析。在两起案件中，怀疑虐待儿童，但尸检未能找到死因。即使不能判定虐待，疑似病例也不应归类为婴儿猝死综合症，而应归类为“未知”或“未确定”。“虽然卧具的再呼吸潜力测试不能直接解释婴儿死亡的原因，但俯卧在某些卧具上可能会增加婴儿猝死的风险。为了接近实体，我们法医病理学家应该收集和保留所有尸检结果的记录，包括偶然的病变，与各领域的专家进行多次讨论，并客观地评估每个案件的死亡现场。

Evaluation of rebreathing potential which was thought to be related with sudden infant death on some infant bedding was performed using an animal model. The results were similar to those with mechanical simulated breathing model in the former study. Because of its technical simplicity, the mechanical simulated breathing model would be more useful for evaluation of the rebreathing potential than the animal experimental model. In addition, five death cases including the death scene were analyzed. In two cases, child abuse was suspected, but the autopsy failed to find the cause of death. Even if one is unable to get a conviction of abuse, suspected cases should be classified not as SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) but as "unknown" or "undetermined." The examination on rebreathing potential of bedding could not directly explain the infant deaths, though prone sleeping on some bedding might increase the risk of sudden infant death. To approach the entity, we forensic pathologists should collect and reserve the records of all autopsy findings including incidental lesions, have much discussion with the various fields of specialists, and evaluate the death scene objectively in each case.