Citation

Lauscher S, Zindler K, Weniger S, Grellner W. Rechtsmedizin 2019; 29(5): 424-429.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00194-019-00340-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The case of a 44-year-old man is presented, in which criteria of a suspected suicide by means of butane gas inhalation, as well as the ability to act despite being bound and gagged, were to be examined. At autopsy, tissue and blood samples were collected and analyzed for volatile organic compounds by gas chromatography. The calculated sum concentrations of hydrocarbons were between 2.36 μg/g and 190.31 μg/g, whereby the brain tissue had the highest concentration. From the sum of the n‑butane and isobutane concentrations in the organs, the amount of substance contained in them was calculated, which provided a theoretical approximation of the inhaled volume. The cause of death was concluded without any reasonable doubt to be butane poisoning. The results further suggested that the subject had the ability to act for an extended period of time and therefore a suicide seemed plausible. © 2019, Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.

Language: de

Keywords

adult; human; suicide; Suicide; male; autopsy; case report; cause of death; blood sampling; clinical article; drug intoxication; human tissue; gas chromatography; butane; inhalation; Article; hydrocarbon; brain tissue; gas; Hydrocarbons; Ability to act; Alkanes; Bagging; volatile organic compound