Ethylene glycol poisoning: case report of a record-high level and a review

Ethylene glycol is commonly found in automobile antifreeze and a variety of other commercial products. Ingestion of ethylene glycol, either accidentally or in a suicide attempt, is characterized by severe acidosis, calcium oxalate crystal formation and deposition, and a wide variety of end organ effects that may be fatal. We present a case of a patient who ingested a massive amount of ethylene glycol in a suicide attempt and yet survived with minimal sequelae. A comprehensive review of the literature on the pathology and pathophysiology of ethylene glycol toxicity on each organ system is provided, along with information on diagnosis and current treatment recommendations.