Mechanical Asphyxial Deaths: An Autopsy Based Cross Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Asphyxia is a condition caused by interference with respiration due to lack of oxygen in inspired air due to which the tissues are deprived of oxygen causing unconsciousness or deathwhich could be due to any of the following causes such as Mechanical, Environmental or Toxic.To estimate the incidence and pattern of mechanical asphyxia deaths with epidemiological data such as age & sex wise distribution, various methods, manner, aggravating factors and substance abusehistory of victim and to formulate certain measures for prevention. The autopsies of mechanical asphyxia deaths conducted at the mortuary of Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital, Chennai-01, during the period of 3months (October to December 2020).Information gathered from police inquest, postmortem reports, relevant history from relatives and friends of the deceased.During the period of study period, 581 deaths were autopsied in the mortuary, out of which 167 were of mechanical asphyxial deaths and the incidence was 28.74%. The most common form of mechanical asphyxial death was hanging (74.25%) followed by drowning (17.36%). The sex wise distributions of mechanical asphyxial deaths were most common in males 147 cases (88.02%) than females 27 cases (16.16%). Most of the deaths due to asphyxia were suicidal followed by accidental and most of the cases were suicidal hangings which is increasing day by day. With pattern of mechanical asphyxia deaths,we should also adopt certain measures for the prevention. Advised to the Public to cope up with the present scenario’s causing mental stress in turn caused by unemployment, financial problems, family disputes etc.