Citation

Falk J, Fischer V, Riepert T, Rothschild MA. Rechtsmedizin 2020; 30(5): 332-335.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00194-020-00394-0

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A 64-year-old man was found dead in bed in his flat. In his right hand he held a bicycle pump to which a small-gauge cannula was attached and two fresh puncture wounds were found on his left hand. During the autopsy an air embolism of ca. 50 ml air was detected in the right ventricle of the heart by means of an aspirometer. The air embolism could not be reliably detected in a thorax radiograph taken prior to autopsy. Blood in the right ventricle was foamy. Pathological changes to organs were not found. Aside from the puncture wounds, there were no signs of externally applied mechanical force. The results of the toxicological analyses were negative. © 2020, The Author(s).

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; suicide; Suicide; male; resuscitation; autopsy; case report; toxicology; clinical article; middle aged; brain edema; lung edema; hypertension; penetrating trauma; thorax radiography; Article; stomach hemorrhage; gas embolism; Air embolism; lung aspiration; Aspirometer; Bicycle pump; Gas embolism