Ultraviolet-Visible and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Identification of Cyclopropyl-Fentanyl in the First Fatal Case in Spain

Abstract

A 24-year-old white male was found dead at home in Madrid, Spain.The medical examiner indicated a dead person sat forward on thebed. The suspected cause of death was poly-drug intoxication, sincedrug paraphernalia was located at home and the absence of injuries inAQ8arms, forearms and hands was observed. The autopsy was performed48 h later.The histological examinations performed on stained samplesshowed no traumatic signs in both the cranial and brain cavity. Bothlungs presented intense congestive parenchyma, with fluid and darkblood. Pericardial sac (240-g heart) presented without findings ofinterest whereas spirits presented fluid and dark blood. In the abdominalcavity, the liver presented slight congestion. The stomach, withdark-brown pasty content, had the appearance of poorly digestedblood, with hyperemia in the mucosa. Kidneys were very congestedand there was a small volume of cloudy urine in the bladder.All biological samples (blood, vitreous humor and urine) werecollected at autopsy by the medical examiner and sent to INTCF.Later, non-biological samples (paraphernalia) were also submittedfrom the police unit to INTCF, ordered by the judge for a comprehensivetoxicological screening.