[Death caused by Perthes pressure congestion]

Abstract

In this paper considerations from the view-point of forensic examiners are presented on various issues in fatal traumatic asphyxia such as reconstruction and frequently difficult evaluation of the survival time. The study includes several autopsy cases with diverse mechanisms of compression and graduated importance of asphyxia for death. The reconstruction of the diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia was possible in a case of exhumation after more than 5 months in the synopsis of necropsy and judicial inquiry. Very short survival periods of minutes and compression times of seconds are sufficient for the production of the typical external characteristics. Thoracic compression can cause death within minutes (limiting factor: resuscitation time of the brain). In addition to other well-known local and general vitality markers, clods or parts of plants in the hands of the decedents can point to vain attempts of self-escape and confirm the diagnosis of vitality.