Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology  2011;9(1):30-33

A Case of Acute Respiratory Failure After Trichloroethylene Inhalation.

Jae Seok PARK 1 ; Young Woo JEON ; Young Il KIM ; Hyo Wook GIL ; Jong Oh YANG ; Eun Young LEE ; Sae Yong HONG

Affiliations

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Keywords

Trichloroethylene; Respiratory insufficiency; Inhalation exposure

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Trichloroethylene (TCE, C2HCl3), which was introduced as a gas for general anesthesia and analgesia in early 1900's has been widely used in industry as an organic solvent. Occupational exposure to TCE is an important medical problem. Manifestations of acute exposure to TCE include mucocutaneous irritation, hepatotoxicity, cognitive impairment, sleep, headache, respiratory insufficiency and death. We report a 38-year-old man who was admitted to a department of emergency medicine after occupational inhalation exposure to TCE. He rapidly developed semicoma and respiratory depression. After mechanical ventilation, hypercapnea and hypoxemia disappeared and his mental state again became alert. Careful evaluation and proper respiratory support are important for respiratory failure after occupational TCE inhalation.