Practice
Various methods are used to achieve the level of oxygen depletion needed, such as a hanging, suffocation with a plastic bag over the head, self-strangulation such as with a ligature, gas or volatile solvents, chest compression, or some combination of these. Complicated devices (such as hydraulics) are sometimes used to produce the desired effects. The practice can be dangerous even if performed with care and has resulted in a significant number of accidental deaths. Uva (1995) writes "Estimates of the mortality rate of autoerotic asphyxia range from 250 to 1000 deaths per year in the United States." Cases have also been reported in Scandinavia and Germany. Swedish police reported in 1994 that the number of autoerotic asphyxiation fatalities in the Stockholm area (c. 1.7 million inhabitants) were at least five annually, but the number of unrecorded cases was assumed to be high. Autoerotic asphyxiation may often be mistaken for suicide, which is a major cause of death in teenagers. Accidental death
Deaths often occur when the loss of consciousness caused by partial asphyxia leads to loss of control over the means of strangulation, resulting in continued asphyxia and death. While often asphyxiophilia is incorporated into sex with a partner, others enjoy this behaviour by themselves, making it potentially more difficult to get out of dangerous situations.In some fatality cases, the body of the asphyxiophilic individual is discovered naked or with genitalia in hand, with pornographic material or sex toys present, or with evidence of having orgasmed prior to death.
In the sixth episode, season two of BoJack Horseman, autoerotic asphyxiation and celebrity deaths are recurrent discussions. In the episode, "Clyde Bruckmans Final Repose" of the TV series The X-Files, a psychic implies that special agent Fox Mulder will die by autoerotic asphyxiation. See also
Cerebral hypoxia
Choke hold
Choking game
Facesitting
Hypoxia
Self-bondage
Sexual fetishism

References
Further reading
Robert R. Hazelwood, Park Elliot Dietz, Ann Wolbert Burgess: Autoerotic Fatalities. Lexington, Mass. : LexingtonBooks, 1983. Sergey Sheleg, Edwin Ehrlich: Autoerotic Asphyxiation: Forensic, Medical, and Social Aspects, Wheatmark (15 August 2006), trade paperback, 208 pages ISBN 1587366045 ISBN 978-1587366048
John Money, Gordon Wainwright and David Hingsburger: The Breathless Orgasm: A Lovemap Biography of Asphyxiophilia. Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books, 1991. External links

Well Hung: Death By Orgasm
Turvey B. "An Objective Overview of Autoerotic Fatalities"
The Medical Realities of Breath Control Play By Jay Wiseman
Is there a safe way to perform autoerotic asphyxiation? - Slate Magazine i