Editing Asphyxia (section)

=== Mechanical asphyxia ===
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Classifications of different forms of asphyxia vary among literature, with differences in defining the concept of mechanical asphyxia being the most obvious.<ref name="Sauvageau2">{{cite journal |vauthors=Sauvageau A, Boghossian E |date=September 2010 |title=Classification of asphyxia: the need for standardization |journal=Journal of Forensic Sciences |volume=55 |issue=5 |pages=1259–67 |doi=10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01459.x |pmid=20561144 |s2cid=25283094}}</ref>

In DiMaio and DiMaio's 2001 textbook on forensic pathology, mechanical asphyxia is caused by pressure from outside the body restricting respiration.<ref name="Sauvageau2" /> Similar narrow definitions of mechanical asphyxia have occurred in Azmak's 2006 literature review of asphyxial deaths and Oehmichen and Auer's 2005 book on forensic neuropathology.<ref name="Sauvageau2" /> According to DiMaio and DiMaio, mechanical asphyxia encompasses positional asphyxia, traumatic asphyxia, and "human pile" deaths.<ref name="Sauvageau2" />

In Shkrum and Ramsay's 2007 textbook on forensic pathology, mechanical asphyxia occurs when any mechanical means cause interference with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body.<ref name="Sauvageau2" /> Similar broad definitions of mechanical asphyxia have occurred in Saukko and Knight's 2004 book on asphyxia, and Dolinak and Matshes' 2005 book on forensic pathology.<ref name="Sauvageau2" /> According to Shkrum and Ramsay, mechanical asphyxia encompasses smothering, choking, positional asphyxia, traumatic asphyxia, wedging, strangulation and drowning.<ref name="Sauvageau2" />

Sauvageau and Boghossian propose in 2010 that mechanical asphyxia should be officially defined as caused by "restriction of respiratory movements, either by the position of the body or by external chest compression", thus encompassing only positional asphyxia and traumatic asphyxia.<ref name="Sauvageau2" />