Fatal overdose after ingestion of a transdermal fentanyl patch in two non-human primates
2012
Deschamps , Jack-Yves (INRA , Nantes (France). UMR 0703 Physiopathologie animale et biothérapies du muscle et du système nerveux) | Gaulier , Jean-Michel (comp.) (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Limoges, Limoges(FR). Département de Parmacologie et Toxicolgie) | Podevin , Guillaume (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Angers(France). Département de chirurgie pédiatrique) | Cherel , Yan (INRA , Nantes (France). UMR 0703 Physiopathologie animale et biothérapies du muscle et du système nerveux) | Ferry , Nicolas (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Nantes(FR). UMR S948 Biothérapies hépatiques) | Roux , Françoise (comp.) (Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maison-Alfort(France). Emergency and Critical Care Unit)
Case history and presentation: Two non-human primates (Macaca fascicularis) enrolled in an experimental protocol received a 25 μg hour−1 transdermal fentanyl patch for postoperative analgesia. The following day both animals were clinically normal, but after a new induction of anaesthesia with ketamine, they developed severe and prolonged respiratory distress, profound coma and myosis. Management and follow-up: Attempted reversal with naloxone was ineffective. After several hours of ventilation, both primates eventually died, 7 hours and hours after ketamine injection, respectively. In both cases, the patch was discovered in the animal’s cheek pouch. Subsequent fentanyl serum concentration measurements (8.29 and 80 μg L−1) confirmed fentanyl overdose. Conclusions: This report of two fatal intoxications in non-human primates secondary to ingestion of a transdermal fentanyl patch demonstrates that this method of analgesia is inappropriate for non-human primates, because of their tendency to chew almost anything they can reach.
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