Asphyxiation by inhaling the inert gas helium inside a plastic bag

Abstract

А case of death from asphyxiation by inhaling the inert gas helium inside a plastic bag placed over the head.
 Findings and discussion. In our practice, we had a case of post-mortem examination of a 22 y.o. male. As it is known from the circumstances of the case, the mail corpse was found in a forest belt area, with his head inside a black plastic bag tight-fitted around his neck with a band. In the bag, there were two plastic tubes – one of them was placed obliquely at the level of right anterior surface of neck and was fixed to the neck with transparent adhesive tape. The other end of tube was connected to the outlet of a valve on a cylinder of brown color superscribed «HELIUM». The valve of a cylinder was opened. The other tube is located on the left side of the neck, with a rubber ball attached to the exposed end.
 On post-mortem examination, we found the following: face – pale, not congested, w/o petechiation; livor mortis – generalized dark purple discoloration of the skin. Findings on internal examination: congestion of internal organs; dark-red liquid blood inside the cardiac cavity and larger vessels; hemicardiadextra, SVC and IVC overfilled with blood. No hemorrhages under epicardium and pleura.
 Findings during microscopic examination of internal organs: Heart: lack of arterial blood, venous congestion. Albuminous degeneration of cardiomyocytes. Interstitial edema. Areas of dystelectasis, acute vesicular emphysema. Pulmonary congestion.
 Liver: irregular blood filling of tissue. Albuminous degeneration, destruction of hepatocellular cytoplasm. Interstitial edema. Kidney: cortical ischemia, congestion of straight venules. Albuminous degeneration in nephrothelium of convoluted tubules. Interstitial edema. Brain: irregular blood filling of cerebral vessels. In pia mater: edema&focal infiltrates of fresh RBCs. Focal voids surrounding the vessels and neurons. Ischemic degeneration of neurons. Red blood cells accumulations in the enlarged paravasal spaces. Suprarenal gland: irregular venous congestion of tissue; occasional thinning of adrenal cortex. Pancreatic gland: lack of arterial blood, venous congestion. Spleen: irregular blood filling of tissue. Decision: morphological signs of acute death. Pulmonary edema. Forensic toxicology test results: methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, butyl, isoamyl alcohol; barbiturates; opium alkaloids – morphine, codeine and their synthetic analogues; phenothiazine, benzodiazepine derivatives; ephedrine, ephedrone – have not been identified.
 Conclusion: As can be seen from the above, the results of forensic examination of corpse, forensic toxicology and forensic histology tests, with account being taken of circumstances and scene investigation details, allowed suggesting that the possible cause of death was the asphyxiation by inhaling the inert gas helium inside a plastic bag placed over the head.