A case of suicide by an intravenous injection of pancuronium
Yashiki, M.; Miyazaki, T.; Iwasaki, Y.; Taniguchi, T.; Kojima, T.
Nihon Hoigaku Zasshi 46(4): 282-285
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1887 PMID: 1405022 Document Number: 399090
A 25-year-old male anesthesiologist was found dead in his room with an intravenous drip line connected with his leg. There were several empty ampules of pancuronium, midazolam and buprenorphine around him. Pancuronium and midazolam in the blood and urine samples collected at postmortem examination were detected by spectrofluorometry and ECD-gas chromatography, respectively. The concentrations of pancuronium and midazolam were 0.3 micrograms/g and 0.12 micrograms/g in the blood, respectively; 0.9 micrograms/g and 0.05 micrograms/g in the urine, respectively. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to respiratory muscle paralysis caused by pancuronium.