Caustic ingestion of windshield wiper fluid and insecticide: A case of acute methanol poisoning

3^rd Global Experts Meeting on Medical Case Reports

May 09-10, 2016 New Orleans, USA

Marijeta Pekez

Crozer Chester Medical Center, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Clin Case Rep

Abstract :

A 59 year old male presented with respiratory failure and encephalopathy after consuming windshield wiper fluid and insecticide. The patient was emergently intubated and admitted to the medical intensive care unit. Work up revealed acute kidney injury and anion gap metabolic acidosis secondary to methanol toxicity. He received Fomepizole and was emergently dialyzed. In the following days, serum methanol level was confirmed to be high and the patient received a total of three doses of Fomepizole and was dialyzed twice with eventual resolution of metabolic acidosis. Unfortunately, the patients� neurological status was severely depressed prompting a computed tomography scan which revealed profound low attenuation involving the subcortical white matter of hemispheres, the cerebellar hemispheres and the putamen bilaterally. This pattern of disease was consistent with methanol intoxication. The patient did not make any meaningful neurologic progress after three weeks of continued aggressive care and after family discussions the decision was made to transition the patient to hospice. Acute methanol poisoning is an uncommon intoxication. The clinical presentation of methanol intoxication can vary. Intoxication produces severe metabolic acidosis with high anion and osmolar gap, high serum methanol levels and serious neurologic sequelae as evidenced by our case.

Biography :

Email: pekez.marijeta@gmail.com