Version 1
: Received: 9 March 2023 / Approved: 13 March 2023 / Online: 13 March 2023 (09:44:40 CET)
How to cite:
Gelman, T.; Sulaiman, A.; James, C.; Peterson, D. The Importance of Context in Inert Gas Asphyxiation Deaths: An Autopsy Case Report. Preprints2023, 2023030225. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0225.v1
Gelman, T.; Sulaiman, A.; James, C.; Peterson, D. The Importance of Context in Inert Gas Asphyxiation Deaths: An Autopsy Case Report. Preprints 2023, 2023030225. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0225.v1
Gelman, T.; Sulaiman, A.; James, C.; Peterson, D. The Importance of Context in Inert Gas Asphyxiation Deaths: An Autopsy Case Report. Preprints2023, 2023030225. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0225.v1
APA Style
Gelman, T., Sulaiman, A., James, C., & Peterson, D. (2023). The Importance of Context in Inert Gas Asphyxiation Deaths: An Autopsy Case Report. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0225.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Gelman, T., Christine James and Diane Peterson. 2023 "The Importance of Context in Inert Gas Asphyxiation Deaths: An Autopsy Case Report" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202303.0225.v1
Abstract
Inert gas asphyxiation is a rarely observed form of suffocation in which the decedent breathes in an inert chemical, such as helium or nitrogen, in the absence of oxygen. The ultimate cause of death is not a result of the chemical itself, but rather from the oxygen starvation as the inert gas displaces vital oxygen. In this case report, a 66-year-old Caucasian female with a history of gastroparesis, degenerative disc disease, and chronic pain was found deceased with a plastic bag secured around her head. Plastic tubing terminated inside the bag and connected to a nearby canister of nitrogen gas. This case study discusses the challenges in determining inert gas asphyxiation as the cause of death in a postmortem setting and emphasizes the importance of understanding the decedent’s history and context of the environment in which they were found.
Keywords
Inert Gas Asphyxiation; Autopsy Case Report
Subject
Medicine and Pharmacology, Pathology and Pathobiology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
