title: Suicidal asphyxiation by using pure helium gas: case report, review, and discussion of the influence of the internet.
abstract: Suffocation by inhaled gases has been reported involving a variety of gases. We report a case of suicidal asphyxiation by forced replacement of oxygen with helium by using a complex homemade mask. In this case, a young woman researched suicide on the Internet and found an advocated method of suicide using helium. To our knowledge, there is only 1 previously reported case of suicidal asphyxia by using helium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, Indiana 47303, USA. kengallagher@juno.com
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Mellen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006371:Helium / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008397:Masks; D008722:Methods; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D006371:Helium