Study of Violent Asphyxial Death

Abstract

Background : An increasing death rate as a result of violence constitutes a large group in medico-legal autopsies especially deaths due to asphyxia are one of the most important cause in violent deaths. Method: It was a prospective study of all medico-legal autopsies performed between December 2008 and November 2010 at mortuary of Civil Hospital affiliated with B.J.Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Out of the total autopsies conducted at the Mortuary of Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, those where the victim died as a result of violent mechanical interference with respiration like hanging, strangulation, and drowning were included. Results and Conclusion: Incidence of violent asphyxia deaths is 5.63% of total autopsies. Hanging (82.48%) is the most commonly encountered violent asphyxia death. Males are most common victims with male:female ratio 1.69:1. Most commonly involved age group is 21-30 years (128 cases forming 32.99% of total) with 200 victims (51.54%) aged 21-40 years. 312 out of 320 cases (97.5%) of hanging were suicidal and rest 8 (2.5%) were accidental in nature. Homicidal hanging is not recorded in present study. All 12 strangulation cases were of homicide, 32 out of 56 (57.14%) cases of drowning were accidental and remaining 24 (42.86%) were suicidal.