Evaluation of a fatal propofol intoxication due to self administration

Propofol is a short acting intravenous anaesthetic, active agent of Diprivan. The abuse potential of propofol has not completely defined, but there are anecdotal case reports in the literature about propofol abuse and dependency. This report presents a fatal case of a middle age female victim who died of self-administered propofol intoxication. The propofol level of the blood sample was measured with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after liquid-liquid extraction. The results of toxicological investigation suggested that death was not directly caused by propofol intoxication, however, based on the pathomorphological changes detected during the medico-legal autopsy we supposed that the fatal outcome was resulted by respiratory depression after rapid injection. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.