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Fatal outcome in a child after ingestion of a transdermal fentanyl patch

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Abstract

The case history and toxicological findings of a fatal fentanyl intoxication due to ingestion of a transdermal patch are presented. A 1-year-old otherwise healthy girl was put to bed and 2 h later she was found dead. The autopsy revealed a 25-μg/h (4.2 mg) transdermal fentanyl patch in the stomach. Toxicological analysis by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with positive electrospray ionization yielded fentanyl and norfentanyl concentrations in the peripheral blood of 5.6 and 5.9 ng/ml, heart blood 19.0 and 8.9 ng/ml, and liver 235 and 26 ng/g, respectively. The cause of death was determined to be a fentanyl overdose. The investigation established that the child has unintentionally swallowed the patch, which had been lying on the floor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Legal Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany

    Jörg Teske, Jens-Peter Weller, Klaus Larsch & Hans Dieter Tröger

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Clinic, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany

    Matthias Karst

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  1. Jörg Teske
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  2. Jens-Peter Weller
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  3. Klaus Larsch
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  4. Hans Dieter Tröger
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  5. Matthias Karst
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Correspondence to Jörg Teske.

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Teske, J., Weller, JP., Larsch, K. et al. Fatal outcome in a child after ingestion of a transdermal fentanyl patch. Int J Legal Med 121, 147–151 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-006-0137-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-006-0137-3

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