THE LETHAL PARAPHILIAC SYNDROME

A new definition of accidental autoerotic death (AAD) is proposed. A d eath is an AAD if it is solitary, accidental, and caused by a lethal p araphilia. On the basis of a series of 46 AADs, all occurring among me n in the period 1933-1990 in Denmark, the definition cannot be rejecte d. A paraphilia is regarded as lethal if it is inherently life-threate ning. The results of this study have been related to previous reports of similar autoerotic deaths in the literature. It is suggested that t he present distinction between asphyxial AAD as typical and nonasphyxi al ADD as atypical be replaced with lethal paraphilia with accompanyin g nonlethal paraphilia or props as typical AAD and lethal paraphilia w ith no accompanying nonlethal paraphilia or props as atypical AAD.