A Classification of Asphyxia Autopsy Cases of the Korea in 2012 according to New Classification of Asphyxia.

Na, Joo Young; Park, Jong Pil; Yang, Kyung Moo; Chung, Nak Eun; Lee, Han Young

doi:2014.38.1.8

Korean J Leg Med > Volume 38(1); 2014 > Article

Original article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 2014;38(1):8-12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2014.38.1.8 Published online February 28, 2014.

A Classification of Asphyxia Autopsy Cases of the Korea in 2012 according to New Classification of Asphyxia.

Joo Young Na, Jong Pil Park, Kyung Moo Yang, Nak Eun Chung, Han Young Lee

¹Forensic Medicine Division, Gwangju Institute of Scientific Investigation, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam, Korea. pdrdream@gmail.com
²Forensic Medical Center, National Forensic Service, Wonju-si, Gangwon, Korea.
³Department of Forensic Medicine Investigation, Seoul Institute of Scientific Investigation, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

No accepted standard currently exists to classify asphyxia and define its subtypes. Sauvageau and Boghossian proposed an asphyxia classification system in 2010 that divided asphyxia into suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia, and drowning. Here, we present a modification of this classification system. We propose to classify asphyxia into four main categories: suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia, and complicated asphyxia. Suffocation includes smothering and choking as well as confined spaces, entrapment, and vitiated atmosphere. Strangulation is subdivided into hanging, ligature strangulation, manual strangulation, and other unspecified strangulation. Mechanical asphyxia includes positional and traumatic asphyxia. Finally, complicated asphyxia is defined as cases with two or more identifiable mechanisms of asphyxia. In this study, we review autopsy cases from 2012 diagnosed as asphyxia and classify them according to our proposed asphyxia classification system. In 24.7% of cases, the age range was 40-49 years, and 51.9% were men. The most common method of asphyxia was hanging (245 cases, 55.1%), followed by ligature or manual strangulation (53 cases, 11.9%). Most hangings were suicides; smothering, ligature, and manual strangulation were usually homicides. Eighteen cases were complicated asphyxia. This classification provides a simplified, unified, and useful tool to classify and understand deaths due to asphyxia.

Key Words: Asphyxia, Autopsy, Classification, Korea