A Case of Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide Ingestion Complicated by Rhabdomyolysis

Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) is a colorless-to-faintly-yellow liquid that is used as a cross-linking to harden plastics or resins in various industries. It is also an ingredient of paints, varnishes, and paint removers. Because of the high reactivity of MEKP, it is available only as a 40% to 60% solution in dimethyl phthalate or other phthalates. Post-ingestion, the spectrum of complications is vast, ranging from corrosive injury in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract to fulminant hepatic toxicity, sepsis, multi-organ failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. We report the case of a 40-year-old, self-employed, male worker in a lamination workshop, who presented with accidental ingestion of MEKP from an unlabeled container. He subsequently developed a multitude of complications, most noteworthy being rhabdomyolysis and in turn acute kidney injury. The patient was managed in the intensive care unit with supportive management and hemodialysis sessions; however, the patient succumbed to his illness, despite aggressive measures.