Gabapentin-related Deaths: Patterns of Abuse and Postmortem Levels.

Gabapentin, a GABA analogue, is a nonopioid prescribed for seizure control and neuralgic pain. Its abuse for recreational purposes has been increasing in recent years as the number of prescriptions also increases. In our series, we review 104 cases of decedents who tested positive for gabapentin in postmortem blood samples and an additional 53 nonfatal cases of motor vehicle drivers suspected of driving under the influence.

Anomalous parietal suture mimicking skull fracture.

Anomalous sutures of the parietal bone are exceedingly rare events. We present the case of a child admitted to the hospital after a near-drowning incident who subsequently expired. He was diagnosed with a parietal skull fracture by computed tomography scan before death.

A first time for everything: homicide involving the Brenneke SuperSabot shotgun slug.

Sabot shotgun slugs are not a new projectile, but the Brenneke SuperSabot shotgun slug has never been reported in a homicide. We present the case of a 28-year-old man killed with multiple gunshot wounds during an alleged "drive-by" shooting. At autopsy, a 496.

Fatal intravenous fentanyl abuse: four cases involving extraction of fentanyl from transdermal patches.

The transdermal fentanyl system delivers a specific dose at a constant rate. Even after the prescribed application time has elapsed, enough fentanyl remains within a patch to provide a potentially lethal dose. Death due to the intravenous injection of fentanyl extracted from transdermal patches has not been previously reported.

IgD-kappa myeloma: an unusual case.

A rare case of biclonal IgD-kappa and IgG-kappa myeloma is described. The patient initially presented with anemia, renal insufficiency, and proteinuria. The IgD-kappa, initially, was overlooked as a light chain; however, it decreased in serum concentration after treatment by approximately 90%, in contrast to the IgG-kappa that decreased in serum by approximately 40 % over a 9-yr period.