Three cases of sudden death due to butane or propane gas inhalation: analysis of tissues for gas components.
We report three cases of sudden death due to inhalation of portable cooking stove fuel (case 1), cigarette lighter fuel (case 2), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) (case 3). Specimens of blood, urine, stomach contents, brain, heart, lung, liver, kidney, and fat were collected and analyzed for propylene, propane, isobutane, and n-butane by headspace gas chromatography. n-Butane was the major substance among the volatiles found in the tissues of cases 1 and 2, and propane was the major substance in case 3. A combination of the autopsy findings and the gas analysis results revealed that the cause of death was ventricular fibrillation induced by hard muscle exercise after gas inhalation in cases 1 and 2, and that the cause of death in case 3 might be hypoxia. It is possible that the victim in case 3 was under anesthetic toxicity of accumulated isobutane which is a minor component of liquefied petroleum gas.
Sugie
Hideaki
H
Department of Legal Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 228-8555, Japan.
Sasaki
Chizuko
C
Hashimoto
Chikako
C
Takeshita
Hiroshi
H
Nagai
Tomonori
T
Nakamura
Shigeki
S
Furukawa
Masataka
M
Nishikawa
Takashi
T
Kurihara
Katsuyoshi
K
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002073:Butanes / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D011407:Propane / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced
D002073:Butanes; C046888:butane; D011407:Propane