Asphyxia
Asphyxia | |
---|---|
Other names | Asphyxiation |
Critical care medicine | |
Complications | Coma |
Frequency | 9.8 million unintentional worldwide (2015)[1] |
Deaths | 35,600 worldwide (2015)[2] |
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body which arises from abnormal breathing.[citation needed] Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which affects all the tissues and organs, some more rapidly than others. There are many circumstances that can induce asphyxia, all of which are characterized by the inability of a person to acquire sufficient oxygen through breathing for an extended period of time. Asphyxia can cause coma or death.
In 2015, about 9.8 million cases of unintentional suffocation occurred which resulted in 35,600 deaths.[1][2] The word asphyxia is from Ancient Greek α- "without" and σφύξις sphyxis, "squeeze" (throb of heart).[3]
Causes
Situations that can cause asphyxia include but are not limited to: airway obstruction, the constriction or obstruction of airways, such as from asthma, laryngospasm, or simple blockage from the presence of foreign materials; from being in environments where oxygen is not readily accessible: such as underwater, in a low oxygen atmosphere, or in a vacuum; environments where sufficiently oxygenated air is present, but cannot be adequately breathed because of air contamination such as excessive smoke.
Other causes of oxygen deficiency include but are not limited to:
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- car exhaust and the smoke produced by a lit cigarette: carbon monoxide has a higher affinity than oxygen to the hemoglobinin the blood's red blood corpuscles, bonding with it tenaciously, and, in the process, displacing oxygen and preventing the blood from transporting oxygen around the body
- Contact with certain chemicals, including pulmonary agents (such as phosgene) and blood agents (such as hydrogen cyanide)
- Drowning
- Drug overdose
- Exposure to extreme low pressure or space exposure)
- Hanging, whether suspension or short drop hanging
- Self-induced hypocapnia by hyperventilation, as in shallow water or deep water blackout and the choking game
- Inert gas asphyxiation
- Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, or primary alveolar hypoventilation, a disorder of the autonomic nervous system in which a patient must consciously breathe; although it is often said that people with this disease will die if they fall asleep, this is not usually the case.
- Respiratory diseases
- Sleep apnea
- A seizure which stops breathing activity
- Strangling
- Breaking the wind pipe
- Prolonged exposure to chlorine gas
Smothering
Smothering is a mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the mouth and/or nostrils, for instance, by covering the mouth and nose with a hand, pillow, or a plastic bag.[4] Smothering can be either partial or complete, where partial indicates that the person being smothered is able to inhale some air, although less than required. In a normal situation, smothering requires at least partial obstruction of both the nasal cavities and the mouth to lead to asphyxia. Smothering with the hands or chest is used in some combat sports to distract the opponent, and create openings for transitions, as the opponent is forced to react to the smothering.
In some cases, when performing certain routines, smothering is combined with simultaneous compressive asphyxia. One example is overlay, in which an adult accidentally rolls over onto an infant during
or when an individual is buried in sand or grain.In homicidal cases, the term burking is often ascribed to a killing method that involves simultaneous smothering and compression of the torso.[5] The term "burking" comes from the method William Burke and William Hare used to kill their victims during the West Port murders. They killed the usually intoxicated victims by sitting on their chests and suffocating them by putting a hand over their nose and mouth, while using the other hand to push the victim's jaw up. The corpses had no visible injuries, and were supplied to medical schools for money.[6]
Compressive asphyxia
Compressive asphyxia (also called chest compression) is mechanically limiting expansion of the lungs by compressing the torso, preventing breathing. "
In fatal crowd disasters, compressive asphyxia from being crushed against the crowd causes all or nearly all deaths, rather than
In confined spaces, people are forced to push against each other; evidence from bent steel railings in several fatal crowd accidents has shown horizontal forces over 4500 N (equivalent to a weight of approximately 450 kg or 1000 lbs). In cases where people have stacked up on each other in a human pile, it has been estimated that those at the bottom are subjected to around 380 kg (840 lbs) of compressive weight.[10]
"Positional" or "restraint" asphyxia is when a person is restrained and left alone prone, such as in a police vehicle, and is unable to reposition themself in order to breathe. The death can be in the vehicle, or following loss of consciousness to be followed by death while in a coma, having presented with anoxic brain damage. The asphyxia can be caused by facial compression, neck compression, or chest compression. This occurs mostly during restraint and handcuffing situations by law enforcement, including psychiatric incidents. The weight of the restraint(s) doing the compression may contribute to what is attributed to positional asphyxia. Therefore, passive deaths following custody restraint that are presumed to be the result of positional asphyxia may actually be examples of asphyxia occurring during the restraint process.
Chest compression is a technique used in various
Perinatal asphyxia
Perinatal asphyxia is the medical condition resulting from deprivation of
Mechanical asphyxia
Classifications of different forms of asphyxia vary among literature, with differences in defining the concept of mechanical asphyxia being the most obvious.[19]
In DiMaio and DiMaio's 2001 textbook on forensic pathology, mechanical asphyxia is caused by pressure from outside the body restricting respiration.[19] Similar narrow definitions of mechanical asphyxia have occurred in Azmak's 2006 literature review of asphyxial deaths and Oehmichen and Auer's 2005 book on forensic neuropathology.[19] According to DiMaio and DiMaio, mechanical asphyxia encompasses positional asphyxia, traumatic asphyxia, and "human pile" deaths.[19]
In Shkrum and Ramsay's 2007 textbook on forensic pathology, mechanical asphyxia occurs when any mechanical means cause interference with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body.[19] Similar broad definitions of mechanical asphyxia have occurred in Saukko and Knight's 2004 book on asphyxia, and Dolinak and Matshes' 2005 book on forensic pathology.[19] According to Shkrum and Ramsay, mechanical asphyxia encompasses smothering, choking, positional asphyxia, traumatic asphyxia, wedging, strangulation and drowning.[19]
Sauvageau and Boghossian propose in 2010 that mechanical asphyxia should be officially defined as caused by "restriction of respiratory movements, either by the position of the body or by external chest compression", thus encompassing only positional asphyxia and traumatic asphyxia.[19]
First aid
If there are symptoms of mechanical asphyxia, it is necessary to call an
- Stand behind the affected person and wrap your arms around him/her.
- Push inwards and upwards under the ribs with a sudden movement by your second hand.
- If the performed actions were not effective, repeat them until you free respiratory tract of the affected person from a foreign body.
See also
- Asphyxiant gas – Nontoxic or minimally toxic gas which can displace oxygen in breathing air
- Erotic asphyxiation – Intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal
- Hypercapnia – Abnormally high tissue carbon dioxide levels
- Respiratory acidosis – Medical condition
References
- ^ PMID 27733282.
- ^ PMID 27733281.
- ^ "Asphyxia Origin". Online Etymology Dictionary. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
- ^ a b Ferris JA. "Asphyxia". pathology.ubc.ca. Archived from the original (DOC) on 14 June 2006. Retrieved 1 March 2006.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8493-0072-1. Archived from the originalon 13 May 2016.
Deaths Occurring Following the Application of Choke or Carotid Holds
- ^ "Burking Law & Legal Definition". definitions.uslegal.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ Ronel A (2 May 2021). "Why the Mount Meron Disaster Happened, and How to Prevent Stampedes? Scientists Explain". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
likely to die from what is called traumatic asphyxia – strong pressure on the chest
- ^ "Hillsborough inquests: The 96 who died". BBC News. 26 April 2016. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Astroworld Festival victims' deaths ruled as accident due to asphyxiation, medical examiner finds". KTRK-TV. 16 December 2021. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ Fruin J. "The Causes and Prevention of Crowd Disasters". crowddynamics.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2006.
- ^ Ohlenkamp N. "Principles of Judo Choking Techniques". judoinfo.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2006.
- do-osae, which is a colloquial term for the guard position
- ^ "IJF Referee Rules". International Judo Federation. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2006.
- ^ Lewis B. "Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki – Shimewaza (Book Review)". www.bjj.org. Archived from the original on 15 February 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2006.
- ^ S2CID 24825982.
- PMID 11385146.
- ^ ILCOR Neonatal resuscitation Guidelines 2010
- ^ "Norwegian paediatrician honoured by University of Athens". Royal Norwegian Embassy in Athens. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ^ S2CID 25283094.
- ^ "WHAT IS EMS?". ems.gov. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Indian River County Volunteer Ambulance Squad Inc". ridevas.org. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
Further reading
- Kay-Shuttleworth JP (1834). The Physiology, Pathology, and Treatment of Asphyxia. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman.
- Elsner R (September 1989). "Perspectives in diving and asphyxia". Undersea Biomedical Research. 16 (5): 339–44. PMID 2678664. Archived from the original on 8 August 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2008.)
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External links
- Media related to Asphyxia at Wikimedia Commons
- Cross-side to chest compression choke