Death due to positional asphyxia under severe alcoholisation: pathophysiologic and forensic considerations.
In contrary to "physical restraint", describing a fixed body position due to external devices, "positional restraint" is defined as an abnormal body position, resulting from accidental fixation under unfortunate circumstances. We report on a remarkable case of positional asphyxia of an alcoholised young man after a fall down a staircase. On external examination, the body showed petechiae of the conjunctivae and oral mucosa, abrasions on the left zygomatic region and scratch marks, respectively. Neither broken fingernails, etc. nor signs of external violence against the neck were found. Autopsy revealed haemorrhages in the praevertebral cervical musculature and Simon's sign. Haemorrhagic pulmonary edema and cerebral edema were observed; blood alcohol concentration: 2.60 g/l, urine alcohol concentration: 3.26 g/l. As cause of death, positional asphyxia after blunt head trauma has to be considered as well as lethal ethanol intoxication. To us, alcoholisation attributed to the fall and together with unconsciousness following blunt head trauma circumvented self-rescue efforts, and therefore, aggravated the potentially lethal impact of positional restraint.
Padosch
Stephan A
SA
Department of Legal Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, D-53111 Bonn, Germany. stephan.padosch@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Schmidt
Peter H
PH
Kröner
Lars U
LU
Madea
Burkhard
B
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D016489:Head Injuries, Closed / Q000209:etiology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000293:injuries; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000473:pathology; D011693:Purpura / Q000473:pathology