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Post mortem findings in yellow oleander poisoning

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dc.contributor.author Seneviratne, S.L.
dc.contributor.author de Silva, C.E.
dc.contributor.author Fonseka, M.M.D.
dc.contributor.author Gunatilake, S.B.
dc.contributor.author de Silva, H.J.
dc.date.accessioned 2016-04-05T08:02:07Z
dc.date.available 2016-04-05T08:02:07Z
dc.date.issued 2001
dc.identifier.issn 0009-0895
dc.identifier.uri http://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/12506
dc.description Oral Presentation Abstract (OP 33), 114th Anniversary Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka Medical Association, 21-24 March 2001 Colombo, Sri Lanka en_US
dc.description.abstract INTRODUCTION: Death from yellow oleander poisoning (YOP) is mainly due to cardiac toxicity caused by its effect on the conducting system leading to bradyarrhythmias. Whether other organ systems are involved in YOP is not clear. No post-mortem studies of death due to YOP have been documented. OBJECTIVE: To study post-mortem (PM) abnormalities following YOP. METHODS: Post-mortems were performed on patients with YOP who died after admission to Base Hospital, Polonnaruwa (BHP), over a 20 month period from January 1998 to August 1999. Written consent was obtained from relatives for the PM examination. RESULTS: Thirty seven PMs were performed during the study period. There were 21 males and the age range was from 13 to 70 years. Twenty three patients died within 24 hours of admission while ten and two died on the 2" and 3rd days respectively. Two patients died after 72 hours of hospital stay. Almost all subjects (35) had myocardial and pericardial haemorrhages. Congested kidneys were found in 24 (64.8%) while nine had a congested liver. Cerebral oedema was found in 16(43.2%). No abnormalities were found in the lungs and other intra- abdominal organs. CONCLUSION: Deaths occur early in fatal YOP. Myocardial and pericardial haemorrhages were seen in almost all PMs and could have resulted from cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, at least in some patients. PM abnormalities seen in kidneys and brain were probably secondary to hypoperfusion following cardiac arrhythmias. YOP does not seem to cause direct damage to organ systems other than the heart. Further work needs to be done to determine the effects of YOP on the cardiac conducting tissue. en_US
dc.language.iso en_US en_US
dc.publisher Sri Lanka Medical Association en_US
dc.subject Post mortem en_US
dc.title Post mortem findings in yellow oleander poisoning en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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