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Asphyxia in Forensic Aspect

This document discusses asphyxia, including its definition, causes, phases, appearance at autopsy, and types. Asphyxia is defined as a lack of oxygen to the cells or organs. There are three main causes: natural disease, trauma, or toxic conditions. The phases of asphyxia include dyspnea, convulsions, apnea, and paralysis. Autopsy signs include cyanosis, petechial hemorrhages, dark lividity, visceral congestion, fluid blood, and edema. Asphyxia can be categorized as suffocation, strangulation, or chemical asphyxia. Specific types discussed in more detail include environmental suffocation, smothering, choking, mechanical asphyxia, and

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292 views

Asphyxia in Forensic Aspect

This document discusses asphyxia, including its definition, causes, phases, appearance at autopsy, and types. Asphyxia is defined as a lack of oxygen to the cells or organs. There are three main causes: natural disease, trauma, or toxic conditions. The phases of asphyxia include dyspnea, convulsions, apnea, and paralysis. Autopsy signs include cyanosis, petechial hemorrhages, dark lividity, visceral congestion, fluid blood, and edema. Asphyxia can be categorized as suffocation, strangulation, or chemical asphyxia. Specific types discussed in more detail include environmental suffocation, smothering, choking, mechanical asphyxia, and

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Dr.I.B.

GD Surya Putra P, SpF


Department of Forensic Medicine
Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada
University
Definition of asphyxia
Causes of asphyxia
Phase of asphyxia
Appearence /clasiccal signs of autopsy
Types of asphyxia
Term asphyxia mean lack of oxygen
Etymologically the word means absence of
pulsation
A conditioan where there is disturbance of
gas exchange
A condition where the cells or organs did not
receive oxygen.
The condition can be partial (hypoxia) or total
(anoxia).
There are three causes of asphyxia :
1. Natural disease
2. Trauma (mechanical)
3. Toxic conditions
Anoxic anoxia
Anaemic anoxia
Stagnant anoxia
Histotoxic anoxia
Dyspneu
Convulsion
Apneu
Paralyse/Terminal
Usually all of the phase : 4-5 minute
In external examination :
1. CYANOSIS
2. PETECHIAE HAEMORRHAGES
3. COLOUR OF LIVOR MORTIS MORE DARK
AND DIFFUSE (WIDER)
Internal examintaion :
4. VISCERAL CONGESTION
5. FLUIDITY OF BLOOD AND DARK
6. OEDEMA ORGANS
Mean dark blue
The colour of soft tissue or skin change to
blue or purple. And usually we look In the lip
and under the nail.
However becomes observable until at least 5
g of reduced hemoglobin per 100 ml.
Pinpoint hemorrhages produced by ruptured
of small vessels, predominantly small
venules.
Size from a tent of millimetre to about two
millimetre.
Rupture is caused by sudden over distention
or increases in intravascular pressure.
It is classically seen in the conjunctivae and
sclerae (strangulation).
It often known as tardiev spot
Those cause by increse of Co2
(carbondioxide) and fluidity of blood
It is due to obstructed venous return and
capillovenous congestion.
There is dilatation of the vessels and stasis of
blood.
It is due to increased activity of fibrinolysin.
Can be group into three categories:
1. Suffocation
2. Strangulation
3. Chemical asphyxia
There are six general forms :
1. Entrapment/environmental suffocation
2. Smothering
3. Choking
4. Mechanical asphyxia
5. Traumatic asphyxia combined with
smothering
6. Suffocating gases
It is caused by inadequate or
gross deficiency of oxygen in
the environment.
But it is not due to by
suffocating gases.
In this case volume of oxygen
was 9.6%
It caused by fungus-like
organisms ( for enviromental)
These death are almost
accidental in nature.
It is caused by the
mechanical obstruction or
occlusion of the external
airways, i.e., the nose and
mouth.
These death are usually
either homicide or suicide,
very rarely accident.
It is caused by obstruction
within the air passages.
The manner of death can be
natural, homicide, or accident.
The diagnosis of choking death
is made at autopsy when the
airways is found occluded.
If the material in oro-pharynx
is Gagging, if laryngo-
pharyngx is called Choking
This condition, if there is pressure on the
outside of the body prevents respiration.
Divided into three types :
1. Traumatic asphyxia
2. Positional asphyxia
3. Riot-crush or human pile death
Traumatic asphyxia:
It occurs when a heavy weight
press down on individuals
chest or upper abdomen.
Positional asphyxia :
It occurs when the position of
the bodies trapped in restricted
space.
Riot-crush :
It occurs in riots, when the
chest is compressed by
stampeding people piling on
top each other.
It is a combination of both these entities.
An accidental form is overlay, where an infant
is placed in bed for the night with either an
adult or a larger child.
This condition is caused by inert gases such
as carbon dioxide and methane.
The gases makes reduction of atmospheric
oxygen.
It is characterized by closure of the blood
vessel and air passages of the neck as a
result of external pressure on the neck.
They are three forms :
1. Hanging
2. Ligature strangulation
3. Manual strangulation
In hanging, there is compression or
constriction of the neck structure by noose or
other constricting band tightened by the
weight of the body.
There may be either complete or incomplete
suspension of the body.
Commonly, hanging is suicide. Accidental
hanging is uncommon and homicidal hanging
very rare.
Complete supension : The distance between
the distance between foot and floor is near
foot an floor is far Victim : just one
Victim : there is wound in the neck
another wounds Scene: Tidy
Scene : Untidy

Homicide : Suicide :
The pressure on the neck is
applied by a constricting
band that tightened by a
force other than the body
weight.
All cases are homicides.
It is produced by pressure
of the hand, forearm, or
other limb against the
neck, compressing the
internal structures of the
neck.
All cases are homicide.
Principally caused by hanging
Transitory anoxia is intentionally induced to
enhance sexual arousement produced by
masturbation.
Loss of control, and accidental death occur.
Such deaths are rare, with the victim always a
male, only a few cases involving female.
Typically found in a private area, sometimes
wearing female clothing, erotic literature,
sexual paraphernalia, and mirror
This condition occur due to chemical
substance.
In chemical asphyxiants, the most common
encountered by medical examiner is carbon
monoxide, and cyanide.
THANK YOU

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