Journal of Clinical Toxicology
Open Access

Abstract

Tramadol Intoxication in an 8-Months-Old Infant through Breastfeeding: A Case Report

Rania Hussien

Tramadol is a widely used, synthetic centrally acting opioid analgesic commonly used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Very few reports about its excretion into breast milk were published and most of them suggested that short-term maternal use of tramadol is compatible with breastfeeding. No available data about its chronic daily use in addict lactating mothers. To date, there are no published reports of tramadol poisoning through breastfeeding. We report a case of tramadol intoxication in 8-month-old infant through breastfeeding as her mother was an addict on tramadol. The infant presented to the Emergency Department (ER) of the Poison Control Center (PCC) of Ain Shams University Hospital twice with 36 h apart. The first time, the infant was discharged from the hospital with no sequelae after receiving the appropriate management. The second time, the infant deceased due to cardiac arrest three days after tramadol poisoning. This case report highlights the dangers of excretion of tramadol in milk and the severity of complications that can even be near fatal to infant.