Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

O-Ring Aortic Banding Versus Traditional Transverse Aortic Constriction for Modeling Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy
09:24

O-Ring Aortic Banding Versus Traditional Transverse Aortic Constriction for Modeling Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy

Published on: October 6, 2022

Death by band-aid: fatal misuse of transdermal fentanyl patch

Marija Bakovic1, Marina Nestic1, Davor Mayer2

  • 1Institute of Forensic Medicine and Criminalistics, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 11, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia.

International Journal of Legal Medicine
|June 10, 2015
PubMed

Insights

A 2-year-old girl died from a fatal fentanyl patch intoxication after her grandmother mistakenly applied it to a knee abrasion. This preventable tragedy highlights the need for better education on potent opioid handling.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Forensic Science

Background:

  • Transdermal fentanyl patches are potent analgesics used for chronic pain management.
  • Accidental exposure, especially in children, can lead to severe toxicity due to rapid absorption.
  • Superficial abrasions can compromise the skin barrier, increasing absorption rates.

Observation:

  • A 2-year-old child presented with fatal intoxication after a transdermal fentanyl patch was applied to a superficial knee abrasion.
  • Autopsy revealed cerebral and pulmonary edema, liver congestion, and regurgitation of stomach contents.
  • Toxicology confirmed fentanyl presence in blood, urine, liver, and kidney.

Findings:

  • The grandmother mistakenly applied a fentanyl patch instead of a bandage to the child's knee injury.
  • Postmortem fentanyl concentrations indicated a fatal level of intoxication in the child.
  • The superficial abrasion facilitated rapid absorption of the potent opioid.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the critical need for increased public awareness and education regarding the safe storage and handling of transdermal fentanyl patches.
  • Stricter regulations for prescribing and dispensing potent analgesics are necessary to prevent accidental pediatric exposures.
  • The findings contribute to understanding postmortem fentanyl concentrations in pediatric fatal intoxication cases.

Keywords:
Child fatalityFatal intoxicationPostmortemSkin abrasionTransdermal fentanyl patch

More Related Videos

Fentanyl Analog Screening using LC-TIMS-TOF MS/MS10:13

Fentanyl Analog Screening using LC-TIMS-TOF MS/MS

Published on: November 8, 2024

Acupoint Application as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Fatigue Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease04:24

Acupoint Application as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Fatigue Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Published on: September 5, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Drug Regulation01:25

Drug Regulation

Drug regulation encompasses the management of drug usage by evaluating its safety and efficacy through assessments conducted by regulatory authorities. Regrettably, the history of drug regulation is marred by several catastrophic events. One such incident is the Elixir Sulfanilamide tragedy, in which the toxic compound diethyl glycol was included in a sweet-tasting medication, leading to numerous fatalities. This event prompted the enactment of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Under...
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids01:15

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems01:18

Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems

Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) enable the controlled release of drugs across the skin into systemic circulation. They are particularly advantageous for drugs with short half-lives or narrow therapeutic indices, as they maintain consistent plasma concentrations and reduce the risk of subtherapeutic or toxic levels.TDDS are categorized into monolithic, reservoir, and mixed systems. Monolithic systems embed the drug in a polymer matrix, where diffusion governs release. Reservoir systems...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...