Tănăsescu Andreea 1,2, Macovei R. 1,2, Ionica M. 3, Tudosie M. 1,4
1 University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” Bucharest
2 ICU Toxicology. Emergency Hospital Bucharest
3 University Politehnica Bucharest, Optoelectronics Research Centre
4 Army Center for Medical Research
Abstract
Methyl alcohol poisoning usually occurs through accidental ingestion or confusion of the containers. Accidental industrial exposure to methanol vapors could be the cause of poisoning. Methanol is obtained by destructive distillation of wood and used as solvent, antifreeze solvents for paints and additives [1]. We present a patient who was admitted to hospital with a symptomatology limited to eyes and CNS and with mild metabolic acidosis which led to the assumption that the patient ingested methanol. The diagnostic was confirmed by toxicological analysis. The patient ingested concomitant ethanol, overlapping with methanol for alcohol dehydrogenase, the first enzyme in the degradation pathway, with reduction o f methanol toxic metabolites of. The presence of methanol metabolites completed the patient’s clinical picture at the time of presentation at hospital. . The patient showed ocular disorders which persisted after discharge. . It is known that these ocular disorders may still persist 6 month after intoxication and in some instances could be irreversible. The prognosis in methanol poisoning is theoretically good if the treatment is started early, is directly dependending on the severity of intoxication, the time since ingestion of methanol and admission to hospital. A successful medical management is based on early recognition of the extent of methanol metabolites toxicity of in each patient. This assessment is critical in determining the necessity of ADH inhibition and hemodialysis. The antidotal therapy with ethanol is readily available in most hospitals; it is inexpensive, and can be administered orally as well as intravenously.