TY - JOUR

T1 - Case report

T2 - Death caused by multi-organ metastatic calcifications as a result of intramuscular injections with paraffin oil

AU - Jakobsen, Søren Reinhold

AU - Diaz-delCastillo, Marta

AU - Jensen, Martin Blomberg

AU - Andersen, Thomas Levin

AU - Eldrup, Ebbe

AU - Nielsen, Trine Skov

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - In this forensic case report, we present autopsy findings from a young male in his thirties who had been self-injecting paraffin oil into his upper extremities 8 years prior to death. The injections induced an inflammatory response, leading to granuloma formation. This, in turn, resulted in severe hypercalcemia. The external autopsy examination revealed gross macroscopic ulcerations and enlargement of upper extremities, while calcifications of ligaments, heart, kidneys and dura mater was revealed on postmortem CT-scans. Histopathological examination showed extensive multiorgan metastatic calcifications in several tissues including the lungs, heart and kidney. Cause of death was estimated to be the extensive calcific deposits in the heart likely resulting in cardiac arrest. To our knowledge this is the first case reporting findings from an autopsy in which the cause of death was linked to cosmetic oil injections.

AB - In this forensic case report, we present autopsy findings from a young male in his thirties who had been self-injecting paraffin oil into his upper extremities 8 years prior to death. The injections induced an inflammatory response, leading to granuloma formation. This, in turn, resulted in severe hypercalcemia. The external autopsy examination revealed gross macroscopic ulcerations and enlargement of upper extremities, while calcifications of ligaments, heart, kidneys and dura mater was revealed on postmortem CT-scans. Histopathological examination showed extensive multiorgan metastatic calcifications in several tissues including the lungs, heart and kidney. Cause of death was estimated to be the extensive calcific deposits in the heart likely resulting in cardiac arrest. To our knowledge this is the first case reporting findings from an autopsy in which the cause of death was linked to cosmetic oil injections.

KW - Cosmetic oil injections

KW - Forensic medicine

KW - Hypercalcemia

KW - Paraffinoma

KW - Postmortem computed tomography

U2 - 10.1016/j.bonr.2024.101749

DO - 10.1016/j.bonr.2024.101749

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38487753

AN - SCOPUS:85187023727

VL - 20

JO - Bone Reports

JF - Bone Reports

SN - 2352-1872

M1 - 101749

ER -