Publication

Fatal visit to the dentist

Journal Paper/Review - Nov 8, 2013

Units
PubMed
Doi

Citation
Sterzik V, Tatschner T, Roewer N, Barrera D, Bohnert M. Fatal visit to the dentist. Int J Legal Med 2013; 129:219-22.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Int J Legal Med 2013; 129
Publication Date
Nov 8, 2013
Issn Electronic
1437-1596
Pages
219-22
Brief description/objective

A 23-year-old woman was mortally afraid of dental interventions and decided to have her four wisdom teeth removed by outpatient surgery under endotracheal anaesthesia. According to the files, the patient was categorized as ASA I and Mallampati II, and surgery was considered an elective routine intervention. Soon after initiation of anaesthesia, O2 saturation and blood pressure dropped, and the young woman died shortly afterwards in spite of immediate resuscitation measures. At first, an allergic reaction to succinylcholine, which had been administered as a muscle relaxant, was suspected. Autopsy and histological examination showed haemorrhagic pulmonary oedema and a defined lesion in the midportion of the oesophageal mucosa in spite of correct placement of the endotracheal breathing tube. Ultimately, misintubation into the oesophagus, which had not been noticed at first, was determined as cause of death.