title: Case report: Oxymorphone-involved fatalities: a report of two cases.
abstract: There has been an increased awareness of illicit opiate abusers using the narcotic oxymorphone (Opana) by inhalation. Many laboratory screening techniques currently in use cannot detect oxymorphone in blood or urine. Consequently, biological specimens containing low to moderate concentrations of oxymorphone will likely go undetected. The circumstances, pathology findings, and toxicology results of two fatalities involving oxymorphone are presented. An opiate confirmation gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) procedure, described in detail was able to detected, confirm, and quantify oxymorphone in both subjects. The blood concentrations were 0.05 mg/L (50 microg/L) and 0.12 mg/L (120 microg/L).
authors.affiliation: County of San Diego Medical Examiner's Office, San Diego, California 92123, USA. Iain.McIntyre@sdcounty.ca.gov
authors.forename: Iain M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sherrard
authors.forename: Craig L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D001344:Autopsy; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000097:blood; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D053593:Forensic Toxicology / Q000379:methods; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D010111:Oxymorphone / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D010111:Oxymorphone