Related Experiment Videos
Intravenous detergent poisoning
T Okumura1, K Suzuki, K Yamane
1Department of Acute Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School Hospital, Kurashiki-city, Okayama, Japan. xj2t-okmr@asahi-net.or.jp
Journal of Toxicology. Clinical Toxicology
|June 24, 2000
Summary
Self-injecting bath detergent caused severe health issues including cardiac dysfunction and acute kidney injury. Prompt intensive care, including hemodialysis, led to the patient's full recovery without lasting effects.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Clinical Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Surfactant poisoning literature predominantly documents oral exposure routes.
- Non-oral routes of exposure, particularly intentional self-injection, are rarely reported.
Observation:
- A case of a patient self-injecting approximately 40 mL of household bath detergent is presented.
- The patient exhibited significant clinical manifestations following the injection.
Findings:
- Primary pathophysiologic effects included relative hypovolemia and cardiac dysfunction.
- The patient developed ventricular tachycardia, acute renal failure, rhabdomyolysis, hemolysis, and coagulation dysfunction.
- Intensive care management involved antiarrhythmic agents and hemodialysis.
Implications:
- This case highlights the severe systemic toxicity that can result from non-oral surfactant exposure.
- It underscores the importance of considering diverse exposure routes in surfactant poisoning cases.
- Prompt and aggressive medical intervention, including hemodialysis, can lead to favorable outcomes even in severe surfactant ingestions.