Prepared By Muhd Ariff Mahdzub Forensic Posting 4th year Mbbs Widad University College

1. Suffocation
By Muhd Ariff Mahdzub

2. Suffocation
• Major Form in Asphyxia
• Def: Suffocation is a general term used to
indicate death due to lack of oxygen, either
from lack of the gas in the breathable
environment or from obstruction of the
external air passages.
• Asphyxia = lack of oxygen in respired air
causing hypoxaemia and hypercapnia

3. Smothering
• Asphyxia by smothering is caused by the
mechanical obstruction or blocking of the
external airways, (nose and mouth)
• Deaths such as these are usually either
homicide or suicide,

4. Suicidal smothering
• suicide eg head covered in plastic bag
• Mechanism: hood of impervious
substance, usually polythene or other
plastic, is placed over the head down to
neck level.
• The plastic is usually in the form of an
open-ended bag, either transparent or a
‘supermarket’ shopping bag
(DiMaio2001)

5. • Figure 4.7
Plastic bag
suicide, with an
open bag placed
loosely over the
head.

6. • Figure 8.l
• (A) Suicide of elderly
female who secured
plastic bag over head
withtie around neck.
Cont.

7. • Figure 14.6 Plastic bag suicide. The bag is
sometimes tied around the neck,

8. Classic signs of asphyxia
-petechial haemorrhage,
-cyanosis, congestion,
-swelling soft tissue (oedema)

9. • Petechiae are caused by an acute rise in
venous pressure causing overdistension and
rupture of thin walled peripheral venules,
• especially in lax tissues(eyelid), &
unsupported serous membranes (pleura and
epicardium)

10. Cont.
• Petechiae of the epicardium or pleural
surfaces of the lung were sometimes present,
but these are so nonspecific
• Petechiae of the face, sclerae, and
conjunctivae were virtually always absent.
-Knight F.

11. • Cynosis: The colour of blood depends on
quantity of oxyhaemoglobin
• When oxygen is lacking (cyanosis), normal
pink colour of well-oxygenated skin may
change to purple/ blue
• The Congestion & oedema is due to reduce
venous return, result of rapid transudation
thru capillary and venule walls,
-Knight F.