Suicide by air embolism introduced by means of a bicycle pump

Abstract

A 64-year-old man was found dead in bed in his flat. In his right hand he held a bicycle pump to which a small-gauge cannula was attached and two fresh puncture wounds were found on his left hand. During the autopsy an air embolism of ca. 50 ml air was detected in the right ventricle of the heart by means of an aspirometer. The air embolism could not be reliably detected in a thorax radiograph taken prior to autopsy. Blood in the right ventricle was foamy. Pathological changes to organs were not found. Aside from the puncture wounds, there were no signs of externally applied mechanical force. The results of the toxicological analyses were negative.