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1: Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2003 Dec;24(4):361-3. Links

Suicidal asphyxiation by using pure helium gas: case report, review, and discussion of the influence of the internet.

Gallagher KE, Smith DM, Mellen PF.

Department of Pathology, Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, Indiana 47303, USA. kengallagher@juno.com

Suffocation by inhaled gases has been reported involving a variety of gases. We report a case of suicidal asphyxiation by forced replacement of oxygen with helium by using a complex homemade mask. In this case, a young woman researched suicide on the Internet and found an advocated method of suicide using helium. To our knowledge, there is only 1 previously reported case of suicidal asphyxia by using helium.

PMID: 14634476 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]