An unusual case of suicidal asphyxia by smothering.
A case is presented of a 30-year-old man suffering from borderline personality disorder who committed suicide by means of smothering. He was hospitalized at the psychiatric department of a public hospital for several months and was found dead in the seclusion room. The death resulted from an obstruction of the upper aerodigestive tract after ingurgitation of pellets of toilet paper. A literature review revealed several cases of suicidal asphyxia by smothering of patients with a history of psychiatric illness. Our patient's operating process had not been reported before to our knowledge.
Saint-Martin
P
P
Institute of Forensic Sciences, University Hospital of Tours, Trousseau, 37 044 Tours, France. ppauline51@wanadoo.fr
Bouyssy
M
M
O'Byrne
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010209:Paper; D010614:Pharynx / Q000473:pathology; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013405:Suicide