A recent case in Seattle has highlighted the dangers of inhaling fentanyl, as a 47-year-old man was found collapsed in his hotel room after inhaling the drug, leading to a rare condition known as toxic leukoencephalopathy. This incident marks the first time this condition has been linked to illicit fentanyl, with previous cases typically associated with heroin inhalation.

The patient, who had no known medical history and had never taken fentanyl before, was discovered with unidentified crushed pills and white residue in his hotel room. Additionally, white powder was visible around his mouth, along with dried vomit and scant red blood on his lips.

Toxic leukoencephalopathy is a rare condition that affects the brain’s white matter, disrupting communication between different brain regions. Symptoms include confusion, behavioral changes, impaired bodily control, motor deficits, unresponsiveness, and in severe cases, death.

Heroin inhalation, also known as ‘chasing the dragon,’ has been linked to this condition due to the toxins in heroin and fentanyl damaging the myelin sheath and capillary endothelium in the brain. Approximately 17 percent of patients who inhale heroin and develop toxic leukoencephalopathy will not survive, and there is currently no definitive treatment for this condition.