| Title: | An autopsy case of fatal repellent air freshener poisoning |
| Author(s): | Hitosugi M; Tsukada C; Yamauchi S; Matsushima K; Furukawa S; Morita S; Nagai T; |
| Address: | "Department of Legal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan. Electronic address: hitosugi@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp. Department of Legal Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan. Forensic Science Laboratory, Tochigi Prefectural Police Headquarters, Japan. Department of Legal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.legalmed.2015.04.004 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1873-4162 (Electronic) 1344-6223 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "We describe a first fatal case of repellent air freshener ingestion. A 79-year-old Japanese man with Alzheimer-type senile dementia orally ingested repellent air freshener containing three surfactants: polyoxyethylene 9-lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene (40) hydrogenated castor oil, and lauric acid amidopropyl amine oxide (weight ratio of 1.3%). About 1h after the collapse, he was in cardiopulmonary arrest and subsequently died 10h after his arrival. The forensic autopsy performed 5.5h after death revealed the 380ml of stomach contents with a strong mint perfume identical to that of the repellent air freshener and the findings of acute death. Toxicologically, 9.1mug/ml and 558.2mug/ml of polyoxyethylene 9-lauryl ether were detected from the serum and stomach contents taken at autopsy. Generally, ingestion of anionic or non-ionic surfactants have been considered as safe. However, because the patient suffered from cardiac insufficiency with a low dose of repellent air freshener ingestion, medical staff members must evaluate the elderly patient for cardiac and circulatory problems regardless of the ingested dose. Not only medical and nursing staff members, but also families who are obliged to care for elderly persons must be vigilant to prevent accidental ingestion of toxic substances generally used in the household" |
| Keywords: | Aerosols/*poisoning Aged Autopsy Castor Oil/analogs & derivatives/poisoning Fatal Outcome Heart Arrest/chemically induced Household Products/*poisoning Humans Male Polidocanol Polyethylene Glycols/poisoning Surface-Active Agents/poisoning Volatile Organic; |
| Notes: | "MedlineHitosugi, Masahito Tsukada, Chie Yamauchi, Shinobu Matsushima, Kazumi Furukawa, Satoshi Morita, Satomu Nagai, Toshiaki eng Case Reports Ireland 2015/05/20 Leg Med (Tokyo). 2015 Sep; 17(5):360-3. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2015.04.004. Epub 2015 May 6" |
