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Other Asphyxial Deaths
Published in Sudhir K. Gupta, Forensic Pathology of Asphyxial Deaths, 2022
The term ‘traumatic asphyxia’ in forensic practice represents asphyxia following mechanical fixation of the chest wall, resulting in restriction of respiratory movements. A considerable amount of mechanical force is involved in most of the circumstances leading to such deaths, and hence the term ‘traumatic asphyxia’ was adopted for these. Many alternative terminologies are in use to denote this particular type of asphyxial death, including Olivier's syndrome, Perthes’ syndrome (named after the pioneers who recognized the entity), compression cyanosis, crush asphyxia and cervicofacial cutaneous asphyxia. Traumatic asphyxia is the subgroup of asphyxial deaths that presents with the most vivid demonstration of the repeatedly described ‘classic signs’ of asphyxia. Many circumstances have been identified that are unique to this type of asphyxial death.
Injuries in Children
Published in Ian Greaves, Keith Porter, Jeff Garner, Trauma Care Manual, 2021
Ian Greaves, Keith Porter, Jeff Garner
Traumatic asphyxia occurs primarily in younger children with more pliable chest walls. It results from a sudden severe crushing blow to the chest when the glottis is closed, and the sudden raised intrathoracic pressure forces blood into the head and arms, producing classical petechial haemorrhages, commonly in the distribution of the superior vena cava. Rarely, children may present with neurological deficits and coma owing to cerebral oedema, but most cases of traumatic asphyxia are less severe.
Thoracic trauma
Published in Mark Davenport, James D. Geiger, Nigel J. Hall, Steven S. Rothenberg, Operative Pediatric Surgery, 2020
Traumatic asphyxia almost exclusively affects children and occurs when there is sudden compression of the chest against a closed glottis. The resultant increase in intrathoracic pressure is transmitted to the venules and capillaries of the head, neck, and chest and results in their rupture. Traumatic asphyxia may present with conjunctival hemorrhage, facial swelling, and petechial hemorrhage of the face, neck, and chest (Perthe's syndrome) that usually resolve spontaneously. Severe cases of traumatic asphyxia may result in permanent neurological deficit, but the greatest morbidity and mortality from traumatic asphyxia is usually due to associated injuries.
Sudden unexpected infant death characteristics in the French region of West Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Published in Paediatrics and International Child Health, 2019
Lucile Tuchtan, Clémence Delteil, Flore Levrat, Juliette Bacquet, Patricia Garcia, Laurence Fayol, Guillaume Gorincour, Christine Zandotti, Nadine Girard, Michel Drancourt, Georges Léonetti, Marie Dominique Piercecchi Marti, Christophe Bartoli
Even when viruses or bacteria are identified, their presence may be owing to contamination during resuscitation or decomposition. In some cases, the virus detected is not always an obvious cause of death. There were 13 cases with an infection without an identified agent or with no obvious cause of death were reported. In 11 cases, accidental mechanical asphyxia owing to obstruction of the external respiratory orifices was diagnosed. An accidental form is overlay where an infant is placed in bed for the night with either an adult or a larger child. Subsequently, the infant is found dead. During the night, the older individual rolls onto the infant, killing it by a combination of smothering and traumatic asphyxia. If the circumstances surrounding the child’s death are not known, such a case is often ascribed to SIDS. An autopsy cannot differentiate between the two [10].
Psychosocial Effects on US Government Personnel of Exposure to the 1998 Terrorist Attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi
Published in Psychiatry, 2021
Josh M. Raitt, Samuel B. Thielman, Betty Pfefferbaum, Pushpa Narayanan, Carol S. North
This bombing caused more casualties than any previous terrorist attack on a diplomatic government target, with 224 fatalities and >4,000 injuries (START, 2018). The main causes of death were head and chest injuries and traumatic asphyxia (Kalebi & Olumbe, 2006). The most common, and often multiple, injuries were lacerations, abrasions, contusions, fractures, internal soft tissue injuries, and crush injuries from the initial shock wave; projectiles such as glass shards, dust particles, and metal shrapnel; and collapse of structures.