Tissue distribution of ketamine in a mixed drug fatality.
While reports of ketamine abuse are increasing, reports of ketamine deaths and tissue concentrations associated with fatalities are rare. We report here a case of a mixed drug fatality involving ketamine and ethanol. Ketamine analysis was carried out by gas chromatography with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector (NPD). We found the following tissue concentrations: blood 1.8 mg/L; urine 2.0 mg/L; brain 4.3 mg/kg; spleen 6.1 mg/kg; liver 4.9 mg/kg, and kidney 3.6 mg/kg. The blood ethanol concentration was 170 mg/dL. Because an empty nalbuphine ampule was found in the possession of the deceased, the blood was assayed for this opioid compound using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. None was detected at a limit of detection of 0.02 mg/L.
Moore
K A
KA
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Division of Forensic Toxicology, Rockville, MD, USA. moore@email.afip.osd.mil
Kilbane
E M
EM
Jones
R
R
Kunsman
G W
GW
Levine
B
B
Smith
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004347:Drug Interactions; D000431:Ethanol / Q000506:poisoning*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning; D008297:Male; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D000431:Ethanol; D007649:Ketamine