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Pathology of retinal hemorrhage in abusive head trauma

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Abstract

Abusive head injury, characterized by repeated acceleration–deceleration forces, is associated with retinal hemorrhages as demonstrated in many clinical and postmortem studies. The theory that vitreoretinal traction is the major factor in the pathogenesis of retinal hemorrhages is presently the most widely accepted explanation based on different lines of research. Postmortem examination of the eye and orbital structures is essential for recognizing abusive head injury and also for identifying other possible medical conditions which can cause retinal hemorrhage.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by The Foerderer Fund

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Goldshleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel

    Tamara Wygnanski-Jaffe

  2. Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Tamara Wygnanski-Jaffe & Yair Morad

  3. Pediatric Ophthalmology Service, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zrifin, Israel

    Yair Morad

  4. Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ocular Genetics, Wills Eye Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, 840 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107-5109, USA

    Alex V. Levin

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  1. Tamara Wygnanski-Jaffe
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Correspondence to Alex V. Levin.

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Wygnanski-Jaffe, T., Morad, Y. & Levin, A.V. Pathology of retinal hemorrhage in abusive head trauma. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 5, 291–297 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-009-9134-4

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