Citation

Böckers A, Steinhoff S, Scholl T, Kunz SN. Rechtsmedizin 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00194-021-00528-y

PMID

34539087

Abstract

Air embolisms are a common entity seen in clinical practice after traumatic or iatrogenic events. Cases of a suicidally induced air embolism are rare. The connectivity of air-carrying and fluid-carrying tubing systems allow large gas volumes to be infused in a short period of time, usually with fatal outcome. In such cases, the use of computed tomography prior to autopsy is mandatory and provides a comprehensive visualization of introduced gas volumes. We present an unusual case of a suicidal gas embolism, in which a man in hospital connected a tube supplying oxygen to a venous catheter.

Language: de

Keywords

Suicide; Air embolism; Cause of death; Forensic radiology; Postmortem computer tomography