Citation

Rollins YD, Filley CM, McNutt JT, Chahal S, Kleinschmidt-DeMasters BK. Neurology 2002; 59(9): 1460-1463.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1212/01.wnl.0000032498.65787.8d

PMID

12427908

Abstract

The authors report a 57-year-old man who survived 18 days after swallowing an 8-oz. can of Sterno in a suicide attempt. Two days after ingestion, he developed confusion and acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis, followed on day 8 by a delayed but rapidly evolving ascending paralysis. Pathologic examination showed severe demyelination, with lesser axonal damage, of virtually all cranial and peripheral nerves sampled and sparing of central myelin. The diethylene glycol in the Sterno was considered responsible for this intoxication.

Language: en

Keywords

Acute Kidney Injury; Demyelinating Diseases; Ethylene Glycols; Fatal Outcome; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Paralysis; Suicide