Suicide by air embolism introduced by means of a bicycle pump

Jens Falk; Victoria Fischer; Thomas Riepert; Markus A. Rothschild

doi:10.1007/s00194-020-00394-0

Suicide by air embolism introduced by means of a bicycle pump

Translated title of the contribution: Suicide by air embolism introduced by means of a bicycle pump

Jens Falk, Victoria Fischer, Thomas Riepert, Markus A. Rothschild

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

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.

Translated title of the contribution	Suicide by air embolism introduced by means of a bicycle pump
Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	332-335
Number of pages	4
Journal	Rechtsmedizin
Volume	30
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00194-020-00394-0
State	Published - 1 Oct 2020
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Air embolism
Aspirometer
Bicycle pump
Gas embolism
Suicide

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10.1007/s00194-020-00394-0

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title = "Suicide by air embolism introduced by means of a bicycle pump",

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.",

keywords = "Air embolism, Aspirometer, Bicycle pump, Gas embolism, Suicide",

author = "Jens Falk and Victoria Fischer and Thomas Riepert and Rothschild, {Markus A.}",

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AU - Falk, Jens

AU - Fischer, Victoria

AU - Riepert, Thomas

AU - Rothschild, Markus A.

PY - 2020/10/1

Y1 - 2020/10/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Air embolism

KW - Aspirometer

KW - Bicycle pump

KW - Gas embolism

KW - Suicide

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JO - Rechtsmedizin

JF - Rechtsmedizin

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ER -

Suicide by air embolism introduced by means of a bicycle pump

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Keywords

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