Additive Effects of Cointoxicants in Single-Opioid Induced Deaths.

A forensic drug database (FDD) was used to capture comprehensive data from all drug-related deaths in West Virginia, with deaths also included from the northern New England states of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. All four states serve predominantly rural populations under two million and all have similar state medical examiner systems that employ statewide uniform death certification policies and practices. This study focused on 1482 single opioid deaths (fentanyl, hydrocodone, methadone, and oxycodone) in the FDD from 2007-2011. We modeled relationships between the opioid concentrations and the presence or absence of the following commonly occurring non-opioid cointoxicants: benzodiazepines (alprazolam and diazepam), alcohol, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and diphenhydramine. Additional covariates of state, age, body mass index, and sex were included. Results showed that the presence of alcohol, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants were each associated with statistically significant lower concentrations of some but not all of the opioids studied, which may obscure the interpretation of postmortem toxicology results alone. Fentanyl concentrations appeared to be the least associated with the presence or absence of the variables studied, and cointoxicant alcohol appeared to be associated with lower concentrations in opioid concentrations than were most of the other factors in the model studied. These findings underscore the importance of documenting all potential cointoxicants in opioid-related deaths.

Postoperative second metatarsal fractures associated with suture-button implant in hallux valgus surgery.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to perform a retrospective review of a nonosteotomy technique for the reduction of the intermetatarsal (IM) angle in hallux valgus (HV) surgery using a modified nonabsorbable suture-button implant previously described for ankle syndesmotic injuries and to report on the outcomes and complications associated with this technique. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of consecutive patients with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Twenty-five patients, a total of 25 feet, were identified with a mean follow-up of 22.5 months. The mean age was 60 years. The pre- and postoperative HV and IM angles were compared. Each postoperative radiograph was assessed for loss of correction, implant failure, and second metatarsal (MT) stress fracture. The postoperative hallux American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores were obtained at the patient's final follow-up visit. Statistics were performed using the paired Student t test with the P value set at .05 to determine statistical differences. RESULTS: The preoperative mean IM and HV angles were 15.1 and 30.5 degrees, respectively. The postoperative mean IM and HV angles were 8.2 and 10.2 degrees, respectively. The reductions in the IM and HV angles were statistically significant (P < .05). The average postoperative AOFAS hallux score was 85. Two patients developed hallux varus (8%). Eight patients (32%) developed second metatarsal stress fractures. One patient (4%) with a second metatarsal stress fracture had a failure of the implant that required implant removal. The remaining stress fractures healed uneventfully. CONCLUSION: Suture-button fixation in hallux valgus achieved a satisfactory reduction in the first-second intermetatarsal angle compared with first metatarsal osteotomies but was associated with a high rate of second metatarsal stress fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective case series.

The methadone epidemic: methadone-related deaths on the rise in Vermont.

The prevalence of methadone-related overdose deaths is increasing worldwide and has been a topic of recent debate. Methadone-related deaths, to this point, have not been systematically reviewed in the state of Vermont. All of the methadone-related fatalities from 2001 to 2006 (total, 76 cases), which were examined by the Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age of the decedents was 36 years (range, 16-74 years), and 72% were male. The manners of death were classified as follows: 84% accident, 12% undetermined, and 4% suicide. The mean level of methadone was 457 ng/mL (range, 50-3793 ng/mL). The substances causing death were determined to be methadone alone in 26 (34%), methadone with only other prescribed medications in 29 (38%), methadone with only illicit drugs (excluding tetrahydrocannabinol) in 13 (17%), methadone with both illicit and prescribed medications in 5 (7%), and methadone with ethanol in 3 (4%). The methadone was obtained by illegal diversion (sale, gift, or theft) in 67% of cases. In the remaining cases (33%), the methadone was obtained by physician's prescription for chronic pain (60%), acute pain or injury (8%), methadone maintenance therapy for heroin dependence (8%), and unknown reasons (24%). The number of overdose deaths has increased 4-fold from 2001 (17 deaths) to 2006 (79 deaths). The proportion of methadone-related deaths has increased by 300% from 2001 (0.6% of reported deaths, 12% of overdose deaths) to 2006 (3% of reported deaths, 37% of overdose deaths). Methadone maintenance therapy for heroin dependence in our population comprises an insignificant number of the methadone-related deaths (3% of the decedents). In Vermont, the populations most at risk are those taking methadone for chronic pain and those obtaining diverted methadone for abuse. Education of clinicians regarding the increasing number of methadone-related deaths, the potential for abuse and diversion, and the pharmacokinetics of methadone may help halt this epidemic and reduce the number of fatalities from this drug.

Death certification errors at an academic institution.

CONTEXT: The correctly completed death certificate provides invaluable personal, epidemiologic, and legal information and should be thorough and accurate. Death certification errors are common and range from minor to severe. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and type of errors by nonpathologist physicians at a university-affiliated medical center. DESIGN: Fifty random patients were identified who died at this academic medical center between January 2002 and December 2003 and did not undergo an autopsy. From medical chart review, clinical summaries were produced. Two pathologists used these summaries to create mock death certificates. The original and mock death certificates were then compared to identify errors in the original certificate. Errors were graded on a I to IV scale, with grade IV being the most severe. RESULTS: Of the 50 death certificates reviewed, grade I, II, and III errors were noted in 72%, 32%, and 30%, respectively. Seventeen certificates (34%) had grade IV errors (wrong cause or manner of death). Multiple errors were identified in 82% of the death certificates reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of major (grade IV) death certification errors at this academic setting is high and is consistent with major error rates reported by other academic institutions. We attribute errors to house staff inexperience, fatigue, time constraints, unfamiliarity with the deceased, and perceived lack of importance of the death certificate. To counter these factors, we recommend a multifaceted approach, including an annual course in death certification and discussion of the death certificate for each deceased patient during physician rounds. These measures should result in increased accuracy of this important document.

Endoscopic decompression of the intermetatarsal nerve for Morton's neuroma.

Endoscopic decompression of the intermetatarsal nerve offers many advantages over other current techniques. Preliminary results in the first 40 patients have been excellent with no hematomas or infections; only three patients returned to the operating room for neurectomy.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy diagnosis of "invasive" temporomandibular joint pigmented villonodular synovitis.

The clinical and aspiration cytologic details of a case of temporomandibular joint pigmented villonodular synovitis are presented and correlated with imaging, surgical, histopathologic, and clinical follow-up findings; the origin of such lesions is discussed. The lesion originally presented in a 36-year-old, otherwise healthy, white man as a unilateral mass involving the temporal fossa and temporomandibular joint region. The tumor's extent was defined by magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomographic scan; there was destruction of the temporomandibular joint and erosion of the temporal cranial bones by a lesion whose maximum dimensions were estimated by imaging to be 2.75 x 3.25 cm. The lesion was initially sampled and classified by computed tomography-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Following complete resection, the original diagnosis was confirmed with both hematoxylin-eosin-stained paraffin sections and immunohistochemical staining. The patient remains free of disease 7 years postoperatively.