Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicide
Abstract Background Compared to death by hanging, fatal cases due to carbamazapine intake is hardly seen. We are reporting a rare case where the victim had used this combination to terminate life as a complex suicide. Case presentation The deceased was a 16-year-old school girl, who had been on carb...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-018-0095-1 |
| _version_ | 1818280968067219456 |
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| author | Amal Nishantha Vadysinghe Solokara Mudiyanselage Nirmani Kaushalya Thilakarathne |
| author_facet | Amal Nishantha Vadysinghe Solokara Mudiyanselage Nirmani Kaushalya Thilakarathne |
| author_sort | Amal Nishantha Vadysinghe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Compared to death by hanging, fatal cases due to carbamazapine intake is hardly seen. We are reporting a rare case where the victim had used this combination to terminate life as a complex suicide. Case presentation The deceased was a 16-year-old school girl, who had been on carbamazepine for 10 years for epilepsy. Following a heated argument with her family members, who had disapproved of her love affair, the victim was found hanging from a rafter in her bedroom, with a plume of froth coming from both nostrils and mouth. A complete death investigation, including scene investigation and complete autopsy examination, was carried out. Her stomach contained pieces of tablets which were later confirmed to be carbamazepine, which was also seen in fatal levels in the blood. The cause of death was confirmed as hanging, in a patient who had ingested a massive dose of carbamazepine. The manner of death was suicide and more towards planned complex type. Conclusion The value of toxicological analysis should not be underestimated even in cases of hanging. This case further highlights the responsibility cast upon the guardians of children diagnosed with chronic diseases like epilepsy, where stressful situations need to be handled in a tactful manner, to avoid catastrophic consequences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T23:57:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd31073164d3425f97942d00c72ff37a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2090-5939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T23:57:39Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd31073164d3425f97942d00c72ff37a2022-12-22T00:06:31ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences2090-59392018-11-01811510.1186/s41935-018-0095-1Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicideAmal Nishantha Vadysinghe0Solokara Mudiyanselage Nirmani Kaushalya Thilakarathne1Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of PeradeniyaDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of PeradeniyaAbstract Background Compared to death by hanging, fatal cases due to carbamazapine intake is hardly seen. We are reporting a rare case where the victim had used this combination to terminate life as a complex suicide. Case presentation The deceased was a 16-year-old school girl, who had been on carbamazepine for 10 years for epilepsy. Following a heated argument with her family members, who had disapproved of her love affair, the victim was found hanging from a rafter in her bedroom, with a plume of froth coming from both nostrils and mouth. A complete death investigation, including scene investigation and complete autopsy examination, was carried out. Her stomach contained pieces of tablets which were later confirmed to be carbamazepine, which was also seen in fatal levels in the blood. The cause of death was confirmed as hanging, in a patient who had ingested a massive dose of carbamazepine. The manner of death was suicide and more towards planned complex type. Conclusion The value of toxicological analysis should not be underestimated even in cases of hanging. This case further highlights the responsibility cast upon the guardians of children diagnosed with chronic diseases like epilepsy, where stressful situations need to be handled in a tactful manner, to avoid catastrophic consequences.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-018-0095-1CarbamazepineComplex suicideEpilepsyPartial hanging |
| spellingShingle | Amal Nishantha Vadysinghe Solokara Mudiyanselage Nirmani Kaushalya Thilakarathne Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicide Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences Carbamazepine Complex suicide Epilepsy Partial hanging |
| title | Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicide |
| title_full | Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicide |
| title_fullStr | Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicide |
| title_full_unstemmed | Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicide |
| title_short | Overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child: a case report of a complex suicide |
| title_sort | overdose of carbamazepine before hanging by a child a case report of a complex suicide |
| topic | Carbamazepine Complex suicide Epilepsy Partial hanging |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41935-018-0095-1 |
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