You Drank What?

​A 3-year-old boy presented to the ED after ingesting a liquid in an unmarked bottle. His parents said he vomited a few times before ED arrival. His initial vital signs were a blood pressure of 92/54 mm Hg, heart rate of 114 bpm, respiratory rate of 20 bpm, and pulse oximetry of 98% on room air. The parents reported that he may have ingested a cleaning solution known to contain aluminum hydroxide.The patient was breathing comfortably, and his airway was monitored closely in the ED. He had no oropharyngeal edema or erythema, and his lung sounds were clear. His mother said she did not think he drank too much of the fluid. The patient was given a PO challenge, and he reported pain with drinking and did not want to drink more.About 5,000 cases of caustic ingestions are reported annually in the United States, mostly unintentional ingestions in children. Common household corrosive agents may contain ammonia (jewelry or metal cleaners), hydrochloric acid (metal cleaners), sodium hydroxide (detergents, drain and oven cleaners), sodium hypochlorite (bleach), hydrogen peroxide (antiseptic, hair bleach, "food grade" homeopathics), sulfuric acid (drain cleaners), other alkaline substances (hair relaxer), and laundry detergent pods. Reviewing the product's online safety data sheet may be helpful if the ingredients are not listed on the packaging.Caustics cause a direct chemical injury. The extent of damage depends on the pH, concentration, and volume of the substance ingested ...
Source: The Tox Cave - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs