Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Medizinische Aspekte der Objektivierung von Folterfolgen

Medical aspects of objectivation of torture sequels

  • Sonderthema
  • Published:
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Migration, civil wars and other conflicts in various regions of the world have led to a drastic increase in the number of displaced persons and refugees. Associated with this development is an increase in the number of torture victims seeking asylum. This means that the medical personnel is increasingly confronted with the evaluation and therapy of torture victims. The methods of verification of sequels of torture are of utmost importance in the work-up of treatment centres for survivors of torture. Since each organ can be affected by torture, a multidisciplinary cooperation is mandatory for the examination of torture victims. In this paper we shall discuss some aspects concerning the diagnosis of injuries caused by torture which are essential for interviewing and examining torture victims in order to objectify sequels of torture.

Zusammenfassung

Migration, Bürgerkriege und Krisenherde in verschiedenen Weltregionen haben zu einem starken Anstieg der Zahl von Vertriebenen und Flüchtlingen geführt. Damit hat sich auch die Zahl der Folteropfer, die um Asyl ansuchen, erhöht. Damit werden zunehmend Ärzte mit der Evaluierung und Therapie von Folteropfern befasst. Die medizinischen Methoden zum Nachweis von Folterspuren nehmen eine zentrale Stellung in der Arbeit vieler Therapiezentren für Folteropfer ein. Da jedes Organ von Folterungen betroffen sein kann, ergibt sich häufig die Notwendigkeit einer multidiszlplinären Zusammenarbeit. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden einige Eckpunkte in der Diagnostik von Spätfolqen der Folter dargestellt, welche wesentliche Bausteine bei der Anamneseerhebung und der klinischen Untersuchung zur Objektivierung der Folterfolgen darstellen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literatur

  1. Amnesty International Medical Commission and Valérie Marange (1989) Doctors and torture, collaboration or resistance? Bellew PublishingCompany Ltd, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  2. Burnett A, Peel M (2001) The health of survivorsof torture and organised violence. BMJ 322: 606–609

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. 3.Graessner S, Gurris N, ProssC (1996) Folter:An der Seite der Überlebenden; Unterstützung und Therapien. Beck, München

  4. Iacopino V, Ozkalipci O, Schlar C (1999) The Istanbul Protocol: international standards for the effective investigation and documentation of torture and ill treatment. Physicians for Human Rights, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  5. Istanbul Protocol: www.unhcr.ch/pdf/8istprot.pdf

  6. Physicians for human rights (2002) Examining asylum seekers: a health professional’s guide to medical and psychlogical evaluations of torture. PHR, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  7. Rasmussen OV (1990) Medica aspects of torture. Dan Med Bull 37 [Suppl 1]: 1–88

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Mirzaei S, Knoll P, Zajicek H (2001) The life of refugees. Lancet 358 (9287): 1102

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Silove D, McIntosh P, Becker R (1993) Risk of retraumatisation in asylum-seekers in Australia. Aust NZ J Psychiatry 27: 606–612

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Peters L, Slade T, Andrews G (1999) A comparison of ICD 10 and DSM-IV criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. J Trauma Stress 12: 335–343

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hedtmann A, Fett H (2002) Sonography of the rotator cuff. Der Orthopäde 31: 236–246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Vogel H (1994) Radiology in the 3d World, illness, hunger, violence. Aktuelle Radiol 4: 256–260

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wardlaw JM, Statham PF (2000) How often is haemosid-erin not visible on routine MRI following traumatic intra-cerebral haemorrhage? Neuroradiology 42: 81–84

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Varghese G, Redford JB (2000) Nerve and muscle disorders and their sequelae. Foot Ancle Clin 5: 191–211

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Spitz J, Tittel K (1990) Indikationen und Ergebnisse der Skelettszintigraphie in der Traumatologie In: Brussatis F, Hahn K (Hrsg) Nuklearmedizin in der Orthopädie. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, S 280–312

    Google Scholar 

  16. Mirzaei S, Knoll P, Lipp RW, Wenzel T, Koriska K, Köhn H (1998) Bone scintigraphy in screening of torture survivors. Lancet 352: 949–951

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Tunca M, Lök V (1998) Bone scintigraphy in screening of torture survivors. Lancet 352: 1859

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Stokland E, Helstrom M, Jakobsson B, Sixt R (1999) Imaging of renal scarrin. Acta Paediatr [Suppl 88]: 13–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Holthoff VA, Beuthien-Baumann B, Pietrzyk U, et al (1999) Changes in regional cerebral perfusion in depression. SPECT monitoring of response to treatment. Nervenarzt 70: 620–626

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Mirzaei S, Knoll P, Keck A, et al (2001) Regional cerebral blood flow in patients suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Neuropsychbiology 43: 260–264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Pavic L (2003) Alterations in brain activation in posttraumatic stress disorder patients with severe hyperarausal symtoms and impulsive aggressiveness. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 253: 80–83

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Bremner JD, Innis RB, Southwick SM, Staib L, Zoghbi S, Charney DS (2000) Decreased benzodiazepine receptor binding in prefrontal coretx in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Am J Psychiatry 157: 1120–1126

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Thomsen AB, Eriksen J, Smidt-Nielsen K (1997) Neurogenic pain following Palestinian hanging. Ugeskr Laeger 159: 4129–4130

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Thomsen AB, Eriksen J, Smidt-Nielsen K (2000) Chronic pain in torture survivors. Forensic Sci Int 108: 155–163

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Malik GH, Sirwal IA, Reshi AR, Najar MS, Tanvir M, Altaf M (1993) Acute renal failure following physical torture. Nephron 63: 434–437

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Welsh J (1997) Electroshock torture and the spread of stun technology. Lancet 349: 1247

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Karlsmark T, Danielsen L, Aalund O, et al (1988) Electrically-induced collagen calcification in pig skin: a histopathological and histochemical study. Forensic Science Int 39: 136–174

    Google Scholar 

  28. Welsh J (1998) Truth and reconciliation … and justice. Lancet 352: 1852–1853

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Nuklearmedizin, Wilhelminenspital, Montleartstraße 37, 1171, Wien, Österreich

    Siroos Mirzaei, Peter Knoll & Horst Köhn

  2. Hemayat, Verein zur Betreuung von Folter- und Kriegsüberlebenden, Wien, Österreich

    Siroos Mirzaei

Authors
  1. Siroos Mirzaei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter Knoll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Horst Köhn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Siroos Mirzaei.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mirzaei, S., Knoll, P. & Köhn, H. Medizinische Aspekte der Objektivierung von Folterfolgen. Wien Klin Wochenschr 116, 568–574 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217712

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217712

Key words

Schlüsselwörter

Search

Navigation