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Pediatric tea tree oil aspiration treated with surfactant in the emergency department

David B Richards1, George S Wang, Jennie A Buchanan

  • 1From the *Department of Emergency Medicine, Denver Health Medical Center; †Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine; and ‡Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO.

Pediatric Emergency Care
|October 7, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Tea tree oil ingestion can cause severe respiratory distress. Early surfactant treatment in the emergency department may be a novel approach for hydrocarbon pneumonitis.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Pulmonology
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Tea tree oil, a mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons, poses a risk of toxicity upon ingestion.
  • Hydrocarbon pneumonitis is a serious complication of ingesting essential oils.
  • Current treatment protocols for hydrocarbon pneumonitis are limited.

Observation:

  • An 18-month-old male ingested tea tree oil.
  • The patient presented with central nervous system depression and respiratory distress.
  • The patient received early emergency department treatment with surfactant.

Findings:

  • This case describes the early administration of surfactant for hydrocarbon pneumonitis.
  • The patient's response to early surfactant treatment was not detailed, but the intervention was initiated promptly.
  • This represents a novel therapeutic approach in managing tea tree oil toxicity.

Implications:

  • Early surfactant administration warrants further investigation as a potential treatment for hydrocarbon aspiration.
  • This case highlights the critical need for prompt emergency care in cases of essential oil ingestion.
  • Further research is needed to establish the efficacy and safety of surfactant therapy in hydrocarbon pneumonitis.

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