Research Article, J Forensic Toxicol Pharmacol Vol: 2 Issue: 1
An Unusual Homicide Involving Strangulation after Transdermal Fentanyl and Buprenorphine Intoxication
| Federica De Luca1*, Elisabetta Bertol a Martina Focardi1, Beatrice Defraia1, Fabio Vaiano2 and Francesco Mari2 | |
| 1Forensic Medicine Section, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Italy | |
| 2Forensic Toxicology Section, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Italy | |
| Corresponding author : Federica De Luca Forensic Medicine Section, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy Tel: +39(0) 55 41 55 25; Fax: +39 (0) 55 79 47 567 E-mail: dott.ssadeluca@gmail.com |
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| Received: March 29, 2012 Accepted: May 08, 2013 Published: May 15, 2013 | |
| Citation: De Luca F, a Martina Focardi EB, Defraia B, Vaiano F, Mari F (2013) An Unusual Homicide Involving Strangulation after Transdermal Fentanyl and Buprenorphine Intoxication. J Forensic Toxicol Pharmacol 2:1. Mol Med Ther 1:1 doi:10.4172/2325-9841.1000103 |
Abstract
An Unusual Homicide Involving Strangulation after Transdermal Fentanyl and Buprenorphine Intoxication
Fentanyl and buprenorphine are powerful opioids used for the induction of anesthesia as well as for severe pain management.Transdermal fentanyl and buprenorphine patches are widely used for outpatient management of chronic pain. However several cases of deaths connected with their administration have been described in literature. We present an unusual and exceptional homicidal death attributed to a combination system of acute transdermal opioids poisoning and strangulation. The concentration of the drugs and their metabolites in femoral blood and urine were capable of causing fatal intoxication. This manner of complex homicide raises the question of the importance of mechanisms involved.
