Citation

Ratcliffe A, Baker A, Smith D. J. Intensive Care Soc. 2018; 19(1): 56-60.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1751143717711062

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Acetic acid is an organic acid available in concentrations from 2 to 80%. Whilst lower concentrations of 2-6% are more commonly used as the table top condiment, vinegar, much stronger solutions are regularly used in Eastern Europe as food preservatives and cleaning solutions. Oral ingestion of greater than 12% has been reported to cause haemolysis, renal failure, shock and death. Most reported cases of deliberate or accidental poisoning are from Russia and Eastern Europe in the 1980s, with very little currently in western publications. We present the case of a female patient who attempted suicide by drinking 250 ml of 70% acetic acid. Her widespread gastrointestinal injuries were managed conservatively, and despite suffering extensive upper airway and renal complications, she was successfully decannulated and discharged home after a prolonged intensive care and hospital stay. © 2017, © The Intensive Care Society 2017.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; suicide; female; case report; poisoning; hospitalization; treatment outcome; acetic acid; clinical article; tachycardia; middle aged; bleeding; intensive care unit; emergency ward; ingestion; computer assisted tomography; acute kidney failure; heart rate; hematuria; blood transfusion; Glasgow coma scale; diagnostic procedure; digestive system injury; continuous hemofiltration; proton pump inhibitor; renal replacement therapy; Article; alanine aminotransferase blood level; upper respiratory tract infection; urine volume; liver function test; esophagogastroduodenoscopy; mean arterial pressure; bladder catheterization; Acetic acid; antimicrobial therapy; creatinine urine level; haemofiltration; nasendoscopy; oesophageal burn