Medical Findings and Toxicological Analysis in Infant Death by Balloon Gas Asphyxia: A Case Report

Cuypers, Eva; Rosier, Elien; Loix, Sara; Develter, Wim; Bogaert, Wouter Van Den; Wuestenbergs, Joke; Voorde, Wim Van de; Tytgat, Jan

doi:10.1093/jat/bkx006

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Due to the physical properties of helium (gas), the only methods enabling its separation are variants of gas chromatography (GC), e.g., GC with headspace analysis. The most commonly used detectors are mass spectrometers (MSs) [3,10,20,[44][45][46][47] and thermal conductivity detectors (TCDs) [36][37][38]48]. However, Tsujita et al [47] pointed out the poor selectivity and sensitivity for helium detection by GC-TCD.…”

Section: Methods Of Detecting Helium Poisoningsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since helium is often used in gas chromatography as a carrier gas (mobile phase), its determination in gas samples necessitates a change of the mobile phase [18]. Many researchers [3,10,20,36,37,49] propose use of nitrogen as the mobile phase in cases of testing for helium. Malbranque et al [45], Musshoff et al [46], Varlet et al [44], and Tsujita et al [47] used hydrogen as the carrier gas in their analyses.…”

Section: Methods Of Detecting Helium Poisoningsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was also suggested and confirmed by Varlet et al [44] to use hydrogen as a carrier gas to obtain the best selectivity and sensitivity of the method. According to the available literature data, volatile substances are analyzed under isothermal conditions [3,10,20,36,37,[44][45][46][47]. In the case of MS detection, the preferred detection mode is selected ion monitoring (SIM) [3,10,20,[44][45][46][47].…”

Section: Methods Of Detecting Helium Poisoningsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Asphyxiation by helium can also be used for murder. Cuypers et al [20] presented a case of attempted extended suicide, where the mother had killed three of her children (2,4, and 6 years old), while leaving two older offspring alive (an 11-year-old boy and a second child of unknown age). In the children's room, there were six helium cylinders connected by tubes to plastic bags.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, helium was detected from all lung specimens. The ultimate cause of death was found to be poisoning with sedatives and asphyxiation due to helium inhalation [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Suicidal deaths due to helium inhalation

2019

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Purpose The authors reviewed the literature paying attention to helium suicide rates, autopsy findings in people exposed to helium, methods of collecting biological material for toxicological tests, and analytical methods used for detection and quantification of helium in the collected specimens. Methods All reviewed information was gathered through a detailed search of Scopus, PubMed and the WorldWide Web using relevant keywords, e.g., helium, asphyxia, and suicide. Results The use of helium for suicidal purposes is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon around the world. This is undoubtedly influenced by the Internet, which explains in detail the technical aspects of the suicidal use of helium and describes the dying process. Exposure to helium does not lead to poisoning; instead, death is caused by asphyxia. Conclusions Deaths due to helium asphyxiation are still a problem for modern forensic toxicology. Most current methods for collecting biological specimens and identifying the gas seem to be insufficient to give definite opinions in cases of helium asphyxiation. More attempts should be made to modify these methods in order to improve and facilitate detection and quantitative determination of helium and other inert gases.

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Section: Methods Of Detecting Helium Poisoningsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methods Of Detecting Helium Poisoningsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methods Of Detecting Helium Poisoningsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, helium was detected from all lung specimens. The ultimate cause of death was found to be poisoning with sedatives and asphyxiation due to helium inhalation [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Suicidal deaths due to helium inhalation

2019

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Analysis of the effect of inert gas on alveolar/venous blood partial pressure by using the operator splitting method

Jyoti,

Kwak,

Ham

et al. 2024

Numer Methods Biomed Eng

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This study aims to investigate how inert gas affects the partial pressure of alveolar and venous blood using a fast and accurate operator splitting method (OSM). Unlike previous complex methods, such as the finite element method (FEM), OSM effectively separates governing equations into smaller sub‐problems, facilitating a better understanding of inert gas transport and exchange between blood capillaries and surrounding tissue. The governing equations were discretized with a fully implicit finite difference method (FDM), which enables the use of larger time steps. The model employed partial differential equations, considering convection‐diffusion in blood and only diffusion in tissue. The study explores the impact of initial arterial pressure, breathing frequency, blood flow velocity, solubility, and diffusivity on the partial pressure of inert gas in blood and tissue. Additionally, the effects of anesthetic inert gas and oxygen on venous blood partial pressure were analyzed. Simulation results demonstrate that the high solubility and diffusivity of anesthetic inert gas lead to its prolonged presence in blood and tissue, resulting in lower partial pressure in venous blood. These findings enhance our understanding of inert gas interaction with alveolar/venous blood, with potential implications for medical diagnostics and therapies.

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Helium poisoning: new procedure for sampling and analysis

et al. 2019

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An increasing number of suicidal asphyxiation with a plastic bag with inert gases, and in particular helium (He), have been reported from numerous countries over the last decade. These cases are differently managed and lead to different and variable interpretations. Based on the twelve last cases analysed in the laboratory and on the review of the most recent literature about this topic, updated autopsy guidelines for sampling have been proposed regarding to the samples choice and analytical challenges required by the gaseous state of this substance. Biological samples from airways (lungs lobe) followed by brain and cardiac blood are the best matrices to take during the autopsy to diagnose He exposure. Gaseous samples from trachea, pulmonary bronchi, gastric and cardiac areas are also recommended as alternative samples. The anatomical site of sampling must be carefully detailed, and to this end, forensic imaging constitutes a beneficial tool. Even if He detection is sufficient to conclude to He exposure, He concentrations in samples may be related to He exposure conditions (duration, breathing rate, etc.). A quantification in biological samples could be helpful to document more precisely the case. He concentrations in gaseous samples are reported up to 6.0 µmol/mL (tracheal gas), 2.4 µmol/mL (pulmonary gas), 0.64 µmol/mL (cardiac gas) and 12 µmol/mL (gastric gas). He concentrations in solid/liquid samples are reported up to 28 µmol/g (lungs) and 0.03 µmol/g (cardiac blood). The other matrices usually sampled during autopsy such as urine, peripheral blood, liver, fat matter and kidney appear as not relevant.

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Medical Findings and Toxicological Analysis in Infant Death by Balloon Gas Asphyxia: A Case Report

Cited by 10 publications

References 7 publications

Suicidal deaths due to helium inhalation

Suicidal deaths due to helium inhalation

Analysis of the effect of inert gas on alveolar/venous blood partial pressure by using the operator splitting method

Helium poisoning: new procedure for sampling and analysis

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