asphyxia

The general term applied to all

forms of violent death which
results from the interference
with the process of respiration.
The condition in which the
supply of oxygen to the blood
or to the tissues has been
reduced below normal level.

TYPES OF ASPHYXIAL DEATH:

Anoxic Death: failure of the arterial
blood to
become normally
saturated with oxygen
Anemic-Anoxic Death: due to decreased
capacity of the heart to carry oxygen
Stagnant Anoxic Death: brought about
by
the failure of circulation
Histotoxic Anoxic Death: failure of the
cellular oxidative process

anesthesia
pulmonary edema
Heart Failure, Shock,
A-V mal, embolism

Alcohol
Cyanide

Drowning
and Choking

High altitude
Patent foramen ovale

Hemorrhage,
Foreign body
impaction

Traumatic crush
asphyxia

Varicose veins
Torniquet use

Carbon monoxide
poisoning

Pneumonia, Asthma,
Emphysema

Smothering and
overlaying

hemoglobinemia

Classification of Asphyxia

hanging

strangulation

suffocation

drowning

traumatic crush
asphyxia

inhalation of irrespirable
gases

A
H

G
N

G
IN

classification of hanging:

As
As to
to the
the

location of
of the
the
location
ligature and
and
ligature
knot:
knot:
typical
-- typical
atypical
-- atypical

 As to the amount
of constricting
force:
- complete
- partial

 As to symmetry:
symmetrical
assymetrical

post-mortem findings in hanging:

Neck elongated and stretched with the head

inclined on the side opposite the knot
Lividity or pallor of the face with swollen and
protruded tongue
Eyes closed or partly opened with pupils dilated
on one side and small on the other
Blue lips with frothy saliva drooling
State of erection or semi-erection of the penis
with some seminal fluid on the meatus
Lividity or ecchymosis on the legs

mechanism of death in hanging:

Tracheal
Trachealobstruction
obstruction
Carotid
Carotidcompression
compression
Vagal
Vagalstimulation
stimulation
Atlanto-axial
Atlanto-axialdislocation
dislocation

strangulation
by Ligature
RARELY suicidal
Usually homicidal
and accompanied
by evidence of
struggle or marks
of violence

other forms of strangulation:

Manual Strangulation or Throttling

Palmar Strangulation
Garroting
Mugging or Strangle-hold
Stick Compression

manual
strangulatio
n

COMPARO:
HANGING
vs. STRANGULATION
Frequently above
the Adams apple

Usually below the

Adams apple

Ligature mark is
inverted V-shape,
the apex is on the
site of the knot

Ligature mark is
usually horizontal,
knot is on the same
horizontal plane

Ligature groove is
deepest at the site
opposite the knot

Ligature groove is
uniform in depth in
its whole course

Asphyxia by Suffocation

MECHANISM:
MECHANISM: Closure
Closureof
ofair
air

opening
openingor
or obstruction
obstructionof
ofthe
the
air
airpassageway
passageway

Types:
Types:
--Smothering
Smothering
--Choking
Choking
--Burking
Burking

types of smothering:

Overlaying

Gagging

Plastic bag
Suffocation

Accidental
Smothering of
Epileptic

Choking

- -impaction
impactionofofforeign
foreignbody
bodyininthe
the
respiratory
respiratorypassage
passagesuch
suchas:
as:
1.1.Vomitus
Vomitus
2.2.Regurgitation
Regurgitationfrom
fromthe
the
stomach
stomach
3.3.Bolus
Bolusofoffood
food(caf
(caf
coronary)
coronary)
4.4.False
Falseteeth
teeth
5.5.Blood
Bloodininoral
oraloperations
operations
6.6.Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis

asphyxia
by
drowning

Asphyxia by Drowning
SUBMERSION

Nostrils and mouth are submerged in water for

some time to prevent the free entrance of air into
the air passage and the lungs
It is not necessary for the whole body to be
submerged
Children drown in shallow pools or ponds
Drunks may drown in shallow creeks

Phases of Drowning:

1. Respiracion de
Surprise
2. Phase of resistance
(first apnea)
3. Dyspneic phase
4. Another apnea
5. Terminal respiration

Causes of Death in Drowning:

TYPICAL
- cause of death is
asphyxia

ATYPICAL
- cardiac inhibition due to vagal
stimulation
laryngeal spasm
- submersion when unconscious

Time factor in drowning:

1 min. , considered fatal

4 min. , possibility of
revival
23 min., average time
for death
N.B. the length of time

for survival in drowning

is proportional to the
amount of froth in the
respiratory tract

Post-mortem findings:
Wet clothes, pale face with
foreign bodies clinging on
skin surface
Cutis anserina or goose skin or
goose flesh
Firmly clenched hands with
objects, weeds or stones

Mouth closed or
half-open with
tongue protruding
Physical injuries
due to
struggle

Penis and scrotum are

retracted
Washerwomans hands and
feet
Livid eyes, conjuctival
injection and dilated pupils

Internal findings in Drowning

Emphysema aquosum
Edema aquosum
Champignon d ocume
Tracheo-bronchial
congestion
Fluid with bloody froth
Right side of the heart is
usually distended

conclusive findings in drowning:

Foreign bodies in hands; cadaveric
spasm
Emphysema Aquosum
Edema Aquosum
Stomach contents: water or fluid,
corresponding to the medium where
body was submerged
Froth, foam or foreign body in the air
passage consistent with the medium
Water in the middle ear

floating

Naked body floats after 24

hrs.
Those with clothes or
apparels take more time
TETE DE NEGRI

Compression Asphyxia

Traumatic
or
Crush
Asphyxia

Causes:
Landslide
And
Masonry
accidents

Rubble of
collapsed
buildings

Highway
accidents

Mine Collapse
and Stampede

Burking

BURKE and HARE

Murderer sits or
kneels on the chest
with one hand
covering the mouth
and nostrils of the
victim.

Inhalation of
Irrespirable
Gases

carbon monoxide
CARBONIC OXIDE
SILENT KILLER
From incomplete combustion of
carbon fuel as in burning of
wood, oil, coal, kerosene,
gasoline and charcoal
Limits oxygen carrying capacity
of the blood due to its 250 X
more affinity to hemoglobin.

carbon dioxide

Product of
respiration, complete
combustion and
fermentation or
decomposition of
organic matters
Found also in
drainage pipes, deep
wells, sewage tanks

hydrogen sulfide

hydrogen cyanide

the war gases:

 LACRIMATOR or
Tear Gas
Chloracetophenon
e
Bromobenzyl
Cyanide
Ethyl Iodoacetate

VESICANT or
Blistering Gas
Mustard Gas
Lewisite

 STERNUTATOR or
Vomiting Gas
Diphenyl
Chlorarsine
Diphenyl
Cyanarsine
Dipenylamine
Chlorarsine

ASPHYXIANT or
Choking Gas

Chlorine
Phosgene
Chloropicrine
Diphosgene

 BLOOD POISONS

Hydrocyanic Acid
Hydrogen Sulfide
Carbon Monoxide

PARALYSANTS or
Nerve Gas
Anticholinesterase

From the lost sea He rises,

Creating armies in every
shore,
Turning men against their
brothers,
Till Man exists no more.
- NOSTRADAMUS