ASPHYXIATjiang Sari Lestari

Department of Forensic & MedicolegalFaculty of Medicine

Hasanuddin University

What Is Asphyxia?

Ancient Greek:› “a” = without› “sphyxis” = heartbeat

Principles:› Disturbance of respiratory gas exchanges› Depletion of O2 in the blood (hypoxia)

› Increase of CO2 in the blood (hypercapnia)

› Decrease of the tissue oxygen supply

What Causes Asphyxia? Asphyxial deaths are caused by the

failure of cells to receive or utilize O2 + failure to eliminate CO2.

The deprivation of oxygen

Partial (hypoxia)

Total (anoxia)

Types of Hypoxia

•Lack of oxygen intakeHypoxic hypoxia

•Lack of hemoglobin (failure to uptake)

Anemic hypoxia

•Disturbance of the blood flow (failure to transport)

Stagnant hypoxia

•Cell failure to utilize the oxygen

Histotoxic hypoxia

Stages of Asphyxia

Dyspneu• ↓O2, ↑ CO2

• Tachypneu

• Tachycardia

• Hypertension

• Cyanosis

Convulsion• Breathing

difficulties• Capillary

congestion

• Petechiae• Seizure

Apneu• Bradypneu • Loss of

consciousness

• Involuntary bowel & bladder movement, ejaculation

Terminal• Death

Classical Signs of Asphyxia

Visceral congestion

• Obstructed venous return + capillovenous congestion dilatation of vessels + stasis of blood

Petechiae (Tardieu spot)

• Ruptures of small vessels pinpoint hemorrhages

Cyanosis

• Increased amount of hemoglobin bluish color

Postmortem fluidity of blood

• High rate of fibrinolysis

AsphyxiaMechanical Suffocation

Entrapment/ environmental

Smothering

Gagging/ choking

Compression

Drowning

StrangulationHanging

Ligature

Manual

Non-mechanicalChemical intoxication

Suppression of CNS

Disruption of O2 intake

Disruption of O2 uptake, transport, and/or utilization

Types of Asphyxia

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Petechiae on the inner side of the lips

Petechiae on internal organs

Petechiae on the scalp

Conjunctival petechiae

How petechiae occurs

Cyan

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Face

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