US EPA

196179 

Journal Article 

Fatal methanol intoxication with different survival times -morphological findings and postmortem methanol distribution 

Andresen, H; Schmoldt, H; Matschke, J; Flachskampfc, FA; Ee, T 

2008 

Yes 

Forensic Science International
ISSN: 0379-0738
EISSN: 1872-6283 

179 

2-3 

206-210 

English 

18639399 

10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.014 

Three corresponding cases of fatal methanol intoxication with different survival times were investigated ante-mortem and postmortem. Ante-mortem serum methanol concentrations were determined during treatment in hospital for 4 days. Furthermore, postmortem distribution of methanol in various tissues and fluids was measured after autopsy. Morphological and toxicological findings are discussed based on the literature. The morphological findings correlated with the different survival times. The results of the toxicological analyses were partly in keeping with previously published data. Interestingly, very high methanol levels were determined in brain with very low concentrations in femoral venous blood. These results may have implications for postmortem toxicological analysis, brain death diagnosis and organ explanation for transplantation.