title: Suicide by carbon dioxide.
abstract: Suicides by self-poisoning are common in all parts of the world. Among these intoxications, gases are rarely used, especially carbon dioxide (CO2). Very few cases of self-inflicted and deliberate carbon dioxide poisonings have been reported. This paper presents two uncommon suicides by carbon dioxide intoxication. In one case, a 53-year-old man tightly sealed a small bathroom and locked himself in it likely with dry ice. Warning notices were tagged to the door. In another case, a 48-year-old man working in a restaurant committed suicide by closing himself in a walk-in refrigerator and opening the stored carbon dioxide containers intended for the beverage dispensing equipment. The limited possibilities of proving lethal CO2 intoxications post-mortem necessitate a close cooperation of the involved parties during investigation. Only the synopsis of all findings permits a sound assessment regarding the manner and cause of death.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Freiburg University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany. wolf.rupp@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Wolf-Rüdiger
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Rupp
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thierauf
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nadjem
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vogt
mesh_terms: D001929:Brain Edema / Q000473:pathology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000506:poisoning*; D020378:Confined Spaces; D004367:Dry Ice / Q000009:adverse effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000473:pathology; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D004367:Dry Ice; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: CO(2); Intoxication; Suicide