Adult sudden death caused by aspiration of chewing gum.
A case of a fatal foreign material aspiration is presented in the following text. A 24-year-old white male died suddenly. A piece of chewing gum lodged in a pool of frothy fluid was revealed at autopsy. Microscopic examinations revealed atelectasia emphysema, eosinophilic exudate and empty spaces. Blood and urine samples were analyzed, for alcohol and drug use by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) on an Abbott AXSYM system. No alcohol or other drugs were detected in blood or urine.
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Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece. ndungu@med.auth.gr
D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D002638:Chewing Gum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation; D008297:Male; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000473:pathology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000473:pathology; D014132:Trachea / Q000473:pathology
D002638:Chewing Gum