At autopsy of a drowning victim, scattered small haemorrhages are noted beneath the pleural surface of both lungs. They differ from classical asphyxial petechiae by being lighter in colour, pinkish-red rather than dark. These are known as:

• A Paltauf's haemorrhages ✓
• B Tardieu spots
• C Vibert's plaques
• D Rokitansky's haemorrhages

Explanation

Paltauf's haemorrhages are light pinkish-red subpleural haemorrhages found in drowning, attributed to rupture of overstretched alveoli and their capillaries during the terminal struggle to breathe against obstructed airways. Their paler colour reflects dilution of blood by tissue fluid. Tardieu spots are dark, well-defined asphyxial petechiae seen in hanging and strangulation, and they are not specific to drowning. Vibert described putrefactive gas changes in drowned bodies, not these lesions.

Reference: Knight's Forensic Pathology, 4th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.