The detection, storage, and analysis of gas taken from the heart ventricle
is necessary to diagnose a fatal air embolism and this requires special pre
cautions during autopsy. When the results of gas analysis correspond to the
criteria defined by Pierucci and Gherson [1] the diagnosis "air embolism"
is justified. In cases showing putrefaction the diagnostic value of gas ana
lysis was negated [2]. In a series of 15 patients who were assumed to have
been killed by air injection in a peripheral vein the corpses were exhumed
and a full medico-legal examination was carried out including gas analysis.
In 8 cases results could be obtained indicating a mixture of embolised air
and gases of putrefaction. In two control groups comprising 10 exhumed bod
ies and 30 cases showing advanced putrefaction, gas analysis showed putrefa
ction gases except in 5 cases with gas volumes less than 5 mi in the right
ventricle. Therefore gas analysis can be helpful to diagnose fatal air embo
lism even in cases showing putrefaction while the diagnosis of putrefaction
gases only does not exclude this diagnosis.