Death due to Intoxication with Volatile Gases: Retrospective Autopsy Study

Volatile substances are frequently used by young people because of their fast, entertaining and mild drunkness effects. Volatile substance abuse is a common public health problem in our country and in the world, and responsible for significant mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to discuss the mechanism of death, cause of death, type of death, toxicological analysis reports and sociodemographic characteristics of autopsy cases due to volatile substance poisoning. In our study, a total of 4625 patients who were autopsied between 01/01/2016 and 01/08/2018 by the The Council of Forensic Medicine, Bursa Group Presidency Morgue Department were evaluated retrospectively. The study included 11 cases that were found to have died as a result of volatile gas poisoning. All cases were male and their ages ranged from 15 to 62 years. More than half of the cases were at 18 years of age or belove. (n = 5, 55.6%). In five of the cases, death type was suicide and the remaining 6 cases were accidental deaths. Histopathological examination was performed in 8 of 11 cases. In toxicological investigations; volatile gases such as butane, ethane, propane, toluene, hexane, isobutane were detected. Microscopic and macroscopic examination of organs revealed mostly nonspecific findings and a significant increase in the weight of the lungs were determined. Especially in such cases, the autopsy should be performed quickly and the samples taken properly should be delivered to the laboratory without contact with air