Acute Respiratory Distress Due to Methane Inhalation.
10.4046/trd.2013.74.3.120
- Author:
Jun Yeon JO
1
;
Yong Sik KWON
;
Jin Wook LEE
;
Jae Seok PARK
;
Byung Hak RHO
;
Won Il CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. wichoi@dsmc.or.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Methane;
Smoke Inhalation Injury;
Respiratory Insufficiency
- MeSH:
Anoxia;
Asphyxia;
Gases;
Inhalation;
Lung Injury;
Methane;
Pneumonia;
Porphyrins;
Respiration, Artificial;
Respiratory Function Tests;
Respiratory Insufficiency;
Smoke Inhalation Injury;
Thorax;
Unconsciousness;
Ventilators, Mechanical
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2013;74(3):120-123
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Inhalation of toxic gases can lead to pneumonitis. It has been known that methane gas intoxication causes loss of consciousness or asphyxia. There is, however, a paucity of information about acute pulmonary toxicity from methane gas inhalation. A 21-year-old man was presented with respiratory distress after an accidental exposure to methane gas for one minute. He came in with a drowsy mentality and hypoxemia. Mechanical ventilation was applied immediately. The patient's symptoms and chest radiographic findings were consistent with acute pneumonitis. He recovered spontaneously and was discharged after 5 days without other specific treatment. His pulmonary function test, 4 days after methane gas exposure, revealed a restrictive ventilatory defect. In conclusion, acute pulmonary injury can occur with a restrictive ventilator defect after a short exposure to methane gas. The lung injury was spontaneously resolved without any significant sequela.
