asphyxia forensic medicine heakth care crime

1. ASPHYXIA
•
SUBMITTED BY:
•
AMANPREET KAUR
•
MSC II
•
FORENSIC SCI
•
3931
1

2. CONTENTS
* DEFINITION
* ANOXIA
* SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ASPHYXIA
* CLASSIFICATION OF ASPHYXIA
* SUFFOCATION
* HANGING
* STRANGULATION
* DROWNING
* REFERENCES
2

3. ASPHYXIA
Defective aeration of blood due to any
cause is known as ASPHYXIA. It is
simply a condition in which body
tissues are deprived from oxygen
completely or partially.
The true terms for asphyxia is ANOXIA
or HYPOXIA.
3

4. ANOXIA
ANOXIA is of three types:
* ANOXIC ANOXIA
* ANAEMIC ANOXIA
* STAGNANT ANOXIA
4

5. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
1. CONGESTION
2. OEDEMA
3. CYANOSIS
4. PETECHIAE
5

6. PETHECHIAE IN EYES
6
CYANOSIS

7. CLASSIFICATION OF ASPHYXIA
1. MECHANICAL:
* Suffocation
* Hanging
* Strangulation
* Drowning
2. CHEMICAL
3. SEXUAL
7

8. SUFFOCATION
“To die as a result of not being able to
breath.” It may be due to two reasons:
* DUE TO LACK OF OXYGEN IN
ATMOSPHERE
* DUE TO OBSTRUCTION OF AIR
PASSAGES
1. SMOTHERING
2. CHOKING
3. TRAUMATIC ASPHYXIA
4. GAGGING
8

9. GAGGING SMOTHERIN
G 9

10. CHOKING 10

11. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
* Suffocation may be ACCIDENTAL like in
case of CO poisoning and in case of
choking of respiratory tract internally by
food bolus .
*HOMICIDAL cases are common like
GAGGING is used by the thieves to
prevent the victim from shouting.
* SUICIDAL cases are less frequent . But in
some western countries people use coal
gas for committing suicide. 11

12. HANGING
Form of death produced by
suspending the body
with a ligature round the
neck and here, the
constricting force is
weight of the body.
Commonly used
ligatures are rope,
turban, dhoti, saree ,
belt, or that is available
at the scene .
12

13. TYPES OF HANGING
* On the basis of KNOT
1. TYPICAL
2. ATYPICAL
* On the basis of SUSPENSION
1. COMPLETE
2. PARTIAL OR INCOMPLETE
13

14. COMPLETE HANGING
14

15. PARTIAL HANGING
15

16. CAUSE OF DEATH IN HANGING
1. Injury to spinal cord
2. Sudden stoppage of heartbeat due to
vaso vagal inhibition.
3. Occlusion of the airways.
4. Occlusion of jugular system.
5. Occlusion of carotid arteries.
6. Fracture or dislocation of cervical
vertebrae.
16

17. Postmortem features in cases of death
due to HANGING
* LIGATURE MARKS ON THE NECK
* DRIED DRIBBLES OF SALIAVA AT
ANGLE OF MOUTH
* HYOID BONE FRACTURE
* SWOLLEN FACE WITH PROTRUDED
EYES AND TOUNGE
*PASSAGE OF URINE, FAECES OR
SEMINAL STAINS
17

18. HANGIN
G
1. WITH LIGATURE 2. AFTER
REMOVAL OF
LIGATURE 18

19. Others forms of HANGING
* JUDICIAL HANGING
* LYNCHING
* ACCIDENTAL HANGING
* SEXUAL ASPHYXIA (AUTOEROTIC
HANGING)
19

20. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
* Hanging is mostly of suicidal in nature.
* Cases of homicidal hanging are less
frequently found. Because it is impossible
to control a person while he is alive. In
case of homicidal hanging we find traces
of drugs, injury on the body which is firstly
used to incapacitate the person.
* Accidental hanging cases are also
frequent
20

21. STRANGULATION
STRANGULATION is a
violent form of death,
which results from
constricting the neck
by means of a ligature
or any other means
without suspending
the body.
21

22. TYPES OF STRANGULATION
1. THROTTLING: when constriction is produced by
the pressure of the fingers and the palms.
2. GARROTING: loop of thin string thrown from
back and tightened.
3. BANSDOLA: neck compressed between two
bamboo sticks.
4. MUGGING: pressure upon neck by arm around
the throat.
22

23. LIGATURE STRANGULATION
* The pressure upon the neck may be
effected by compressing whole or a part of
the circumference of neck by a ligature .
CAUSE OF DEATH
*VAGAL INHIBITION
* VENOUS CONSTRICTION
* RESPIRATORY OBSTRUCTION
23

24. 24
GAROTTING THROTTLING

25. GENERAL FINDINGS
*Face is swollen and blotchy.
* Eyes usually suffused and bulging.
*Tongue is swollen, protruding and caught
between teeth.
* Ligature mark which commonly depends upon
the size, type, form, etc. of the ligature. The
thinner the ligature more deep will be the mark.
25

26. INTERNAL FINDINGS
* Bruising of the soft tissue of neck and
muscles specially underneath the ligature
mark.
* Injuries to blood vessels are rare in this.
* Injuries to hyoid bone are not commonly
seen.
* Thyroid cartilages are found fractured.
26

27. MANUAL STRANGUALTION
(THROTTLING)
* Catching or grasping of neck at the
location of carotid sinus, by the hand.
* This cause sudden CARDIAC ARESST
due to vaso vagal inhibition.
** THE DEATH IS SUDDEN IN THIS
CASE.
27

28. GENERAL FINDINGS
* CUTANEOUS ABRASIONS
* CUTANEOUS BRUISING
* BRUISING INTO LARGE STRUCTURES
OF NECK
* INJURIES TO HYOID BONE AND
LARYNX
28

29. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
* SUICIDAL: It is possible to strangle
oneself
by ligature.
* ACCIDENTAL: In case of infants at time of
birth. Children may strangled while
playing. While working near a machine
one can strangled.
* HOMICIDAL: Quite common form of
murder.
29

30. DROWNING
* It is a form of death in which the
atmospheric air is prevented from entering
the lung by submersion of body in water or
any other liquid completely or partially.
* The main cause of death is VASO VAGAL
INHIBITION resulting in sudden cardiac
arrest and ASPHYXIA.
30

31. TYPES OF DROWNING
1. WET DROWNING
* In salt water
* In fresh water
2. DRY DROWNING
3. SECONDARY
DROWNING
4. COLD WATER
DROWNING
31

32. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
* SUICIDAL : Most commonly used by
Indian females. Sometimes the person
committing suicide tie his/her hand before
jumping. In these types of cases position
of knot plays an important role.
* HOMICIDAL : It is rare except in cases of
children, infants and person under the
effect of any drug.
* ACCIDENTAL : very common.
32

33. REFERENCES
* Modi, J.K. (1993) : Medical jurisprudence and toxicology,
N.M. Tripathi Pvt. Ltd.
* Krishan Vij (2001) : Textbook of Forensic Medicine, B.I.
Churchill Livingstone Pvt. Ltd.
* H.W.V Cox (1998) : Medical Jurisprudence and
Toxicology, L.R. Bagga Pvt. Ltd.
* C.K. Parikh (1990) : Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence,
Forensic Medicine and
Toxicology, CBS Publishers.
*www.en.wikepedia.org/wiki/drowning
* www.sonictr.deviant art.com/art/solid-snake-smothering
33

34. 34

35. 35