Morphological changes in traumatized skeletal muscle: the appearance of 'opaque fibers' of cervical muscles as evidence of compression of the neck

Cervical muscles of 15 cases of compression of the neck and the other traumatized skeletal muscles from 54 autopsy cases were examined histologically and immunohistochemically. Round and thick fibers, that is, opaque fibers were observed in the muscles beneath the compression marks on the neck, whereas in areas where no force had been applied, such fibers did not exist. Furthermore, opaque changes appeared around cavities, which formed within severely compressed injured muscle tissue. The pattern of appearance of opaque fibers in the cases of compression of the neck were mainly divided into two types, 'diffuse' pattern and 'focal' pattern. In both blunt and sharp force injuries, the production of opaque fibers were common in the area directly where damage had been inflicted. In stab wounds especially, the appearance of opaque fibers and wavelike fibers, which fanned out and showed a different color from the other areas, was limited to the marginal zone. These results suggest that there is a close relationship between opaque changes and force. Opaque fibers are probably produced by damage to muscles due to extremely applied force. The high incidence of opaque fibers beneath compression marks on the neck should be regarded as a useful indication of strangulation and/or hanging. Furthermore, the distribution and direction of force to the neck might be presumed by the pattern of opaque fibers in cervical muscles, to a certain extent.