Near fatal respiratory distress following massive ether intravenous injection

• Published in: Intensive care medicine Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 624 - 625
• Main Authors: LAMBERMONT, B, DUBOIS, C, FRAIPONT, V, RADOUX, L, D'ORIO, V
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.06.1998; Berlin Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blood flow; Catheters, Indwelling - adverse effects; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Edema; Ether - administration & dosage; Ether - poisoning; Female; Flow distribution; Flow pattern; General & internal medicine; Hemodynamics; Human health sciences; Humans; Inflammation; Injections, Intravenous; Intensive care; Intravenous administration; Medical sciences; Médecine générale & interne; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - therapeutic use; Pneumonitis; Pulmonary Edema - chemically induced; Pulmonary Edema - diagnostic imaging; Radiography; Respiratory distress syndrome; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - chemically induced; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - therapy; Sciences de la santé humaine; Self-administration; Solvents; Solvents - administration & dosage; Solvents - poisoning; Suicide, Attempted; Toxicology; Human; Lung disease; Pneumonia; Intensive care; Intravenous administration; Ether; Respiratory disease; Acute; Volunteer; Case study; Organic solvent; Treatment; Adult; Complication; Respiratory distress; Female; Poisoning; Hemodynamics
• ISSN: 0342-4642; 1432-1238; 1432-1238
• DOI: 10.1007/s001340050626

To the best of our knowledge, no case of ether-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been published as yet. A 36-year-old female developed pneumonitis which showed all the characteristics of a chemical-associated ARDS due to intravenous self-administration of ether: the hemodynamic investigation demonstrated a normal blood flow pattern with low left-heart filling pressure while the anteroposterior roentgenogram evidenced disseminated bilateral lung edema. Advanced symptomatic respiratory support including inhaled nitric oxide and steroidal anti-inflammatory use was the treatment of choice.