[Attempted suicide by intravenous injection of metasystox]

A 27-year old man was admitted to the hospital after having attempted suicide by injection of 30 ml of metasystox (demeton-s-methyl), an organophosphate compound, in a cubital vein of the left arm. He was suffering from the typical cholinergic symptoms. Local examination of the injection site revealed a local inflammation extending from the middle of the left upper arm to the distal forearm. Surgical débridement became necessary. In the third week of treatment he developed a rhabdomyolysis (CK 66.300 U/l) with an acute renal failure and needed haemodialysis. Later he showed signs of an intermediate syndrome.