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Related Experiment Videos

Trichloroacetic Acid Ingestion: Self-Harm Attempt.

E R Black1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL 62702, USA.

Case Reports in Psychiatry
|October 31, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) is a chemical used in dermatology. Patients may mistake TCAA for a more toxic substance, leading to accidental overdose with less severe outcomes than initially feared.

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Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Toxicology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) is a chemical analogue of acetic acid used in dermatological treatments like chemical peels.
  • TCAA is often abbreviated as TCA, leading to potential confusion with the psychiatric antidepressant drug class.
  • TCAA ingestion causes gastric irritation, distinct from the severe systemic effects of TCA antidepressant overdose.

Observation:

  • A patient intentionally ingested a commercially available TCAA dermatological peel.
  • The ingestion was a self-harm attempt, motivated by a mistaken belief that TCAA was a more dangerous substance (TCA antidepressant).

Findings:

  • TCAA overdose symptoms are generally less severe than TCA antidepressant overdose, primarily involving gastric irritation.
  • The risk of mortality from TCAA ingestion is significantly lower compared to TCA antidepressant overdose.

Implications:

  • Physicians, especially psychiatrists, need to be aware of TCAA and its dermatological uses.
  • Misidentification of TCAA as a more lethal substance by suicidal patients necessitates careful clinical assessment and management.
  • Distinguishing between TCAA and TCA antidepressant toxicity is crucial for appropriate medical intervention and patient disposition.

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