["Self-asphyxia"--a forensic medicine-criminal challenge].

In judicial and police circles - sometimes even in circles of medical professionals - it is still often thought that suicidal strangulation by ligature is impossible. Reviewing the forensic literature we could find more than 200 cases that have been published earlier. We report another 4 cases of suicidal strangulation. The main problems of criminalists and medical examiners in such cases are discussed. Primary investigation of the corpse in original position by a forensic scientist is of high importance.