scholarly journals An Evaluation of the Autopsy Cases of Carbon monoxide Poisoning in Trabzon Between 2009-2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 174-179
Author(s):  
Hüseyin Çetin Ketenci ◽  
Hülya Karadeniz ◽  
Halil Boz ◽  
Nazım Ercüment Beyhun

Objective: Carbon monoxide related deaths, which are generally preventable accidents, and more common when compared with other toxic substance consumption, arouse public attention in our country. Materials and Methods: In this study, the aim is to investigate different features of carbon monoxide poisoning related deaths autopsied in Trabzon in 8-year period of time and demonstrate medico-legal aspects of this issue. Results: Our study consists of all deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning and autopsied by Trabzon Morgue Department of the Council of Forensic Medicine of Turkey between 2009 and 2016. Records of a total of 7133 criminal cases who were autopsied between these years were examined and 215 cases who died due to CO poisoning were evaluated for age, sex, the month of the event occurred, origin, death time, CO source and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) values. 215 criminal cases were constituting 3.01% of 7133 criminal cases who were autopsied within 8 years in Trabzon. 91 of the cases were (42.3%) female and 124 were (57.7%) male and the male/female case ratio was 1.4. Mean age of the cases was 48.8±27.1years. 24.1% of deaths occurred in January 74% at home. CO source was found to be charcoal in 55.3% of cases. Mean COHb level detected in cases was 54.9±17.6%. Conclusion: Carbon monoxide poisoning is an important social problem in our country as in many developing countries. It is concluded that with their medicolegal experiences and suggestions, forensic medicine specialists can play an important role to manage carbon monoxide poisonings which are mainly...

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-45
Author(s):  
Patrick Lee ◽  
Steven Salhanick

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is typically treated by administration of oxygen via non-rebreather mask (NRB). High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is an alternative to NRB in a variety of disease states. We report a case of the novel use of HFNC in the treatment of acute CO poisoning. A 29-year-old man presented with a carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level of 29.8%. He was treated with HFNC, and COHb levels declined to 5.4% in 230 minutes. Given several theoretical advantages of HFNC relative to NRB, HFNC is a potential option for use in the treatment of CO poisoning.


1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 396-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Einzig ◽  
Demetre M. Nicoloff ◽  
Russell V. Lucas Jr.

The effect of carbon monoxide inhalation on the regional distribution of right and left ventricular myocardial blood flow was studied in 12 closed-chest anesthetized dogs. Dogs were exposed to a nonhypoxic mixture of oxygen (21–40%) and carbon monoxide (1.5–2.0%) for 10 min. Myocardial blood flow was measured (15-μm radionuclide-labeled spheres) during control conditions, and 10 and 60 min following discontinuation of carbon monoxide corresponding to carboxyhemoglobin levels (COHb) of 41.6 ± 2.8 and 26.5 ± 1.6% (mean ± SE), respectively. At a COHb level of 26.5%, right and left ventricular blood flows were increased to approximately 1.8–1.9 times the control values (1.06 ± 0.10 vs. 0.64 ± 0.08 mL/min per gram and 1.72 ± 0.12 vs. 0.91 ± 0.07 mL/min per gram, respectively, P < 0.002). At a COHb level of 41.6%, both right and left ventricular vascular beds were maximally or near maximally dilated as right ventricular and left ventricular myocardial blood flow values were increased approximately fivefold. The right and left ventricular subendocardial-subepicardial flow ratios were reduced at both COHb levels (P < 0.05). Thus, in addition to the global myocardial hypoxia that occurs following elevation of the COHb level, relative subendocardial underperfusion is a component of carbon monoxide poisoning in the intact dog.


2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 354-357
Author(s):  
David R Smart ◽  
Paul D Mark

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 2932-2935
Author(s):  
Sofia David ◽  
Anton Knieling ◽  
Calin Scripcaru ◽  
Madalina Diac ◽  
Ion Sandu ◽  
...  

Carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity of toxic origin in the world. Its insidious and polymorphic symptomatology makes it difficult to diagnose. It occurs accidentally, because of non-supervised domestic fires, or in fire victims. In fire victims, in particular, the differential diagnosis between carbon monoxide gas poisoning, inhalation of other toxic products of combustion like cyanide, oxygen deprivation, thermal burns and shock due to burns as a cause of death is not an easy task. The authors examined 107 fire victims that were autopsied at the Forensic Medicine from Iasi, Romania, in the last 10 years (2007-2016). Most cases were males (69.16%), young (0-9 years) or older than 60 with a burned surface of 91-100% in 68.22% of cases. Blood samples from the cadavers were collected in all cases in order to analyse carboxyhaemoglobin concentration and haemolysis. Toxicological analysis revealed a carboxyhaemoglobin level of maximum 95% but the majority of cases (70.72%) had a concentration inferior to 50%. An inverse correlation was identified between carboxyhaemoglobin concentration and haemolysis, an indicator of heat dissociation. Our study proves that many fire victims may die because of carbon monoxide intoxication prior to the extent of burns at a lethal potential.


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