title: Diagnostic issues in unusual asphyxial deaths.
abstract: Upper airway occlusion may be due to a variety of causes and may result from accidents, suicides or homicides. Underlying natural diseases may also predispose to lethal choking episodes. A series of nine cases is reported to illustrate a range of circumstances that resulted in fatal upper airway compromise. These included suicide from upper airway obstruction due to an impacted blanket, and accidental deaths due to inhalation of soil, a rock, and a video cassette sticker. One death resulted from glottic obstruction due to a mucosal cavernous haemangioma, another from an enlarged tonsil, and two deaths were precipitated by underlying organic disease in the form of dementia and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The manner of death was not clear cut in two cases where there was evidence of possible accidental death or suicide.
authors.affiliation: (1)Forensic Science Centre, Adelaide, South Australia. byard.roger@saugov.sa.gov.au
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Byard
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gilbert