[Lipoid pneumonia following attempted suicide by intravenous injection of lamp oil].
BACKGROUND
Pneumonic complications after intoxication with mineral oils have been described before in the contents of accidental aspiration and oral ingestion. However, intoxication following an intravenous injection leading to a lipoid pneumonia after an attempted suicide is a rare finding.


METHODS
A case report is presented of an attempted suicide by intravenously self-injection of 20 ml lamp oil (liquid paraffin). Immediately after injection the patient suffered from dry coughing which changed in the course of the next hours into a productive cough with white thick mucous sputum accompanied by hemoptysis. Additionally, he developed a mild disseminated intravascular coagulation with a fall of thrombocytes, an INR of 1.6 and a rise of D-dimeres. Under a therapy with hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid, ambroxol, acetylcysteine, heparin, antibiotics and oxygen, the patient improved without the need of mechanical ventilation. Initially seen signs of right heart dilatation diminished 3 days after onset of therapy. Apart from pulmonal manifestation no relevant organ damage was observed. The patient was discharged from the intensive care unit 9 days after intoxication and was submitted to psychiatric therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Lipoid pneumonia caused by intoxication with a mineral oil is a severe disease, whereas in the presented case a relative bland course of the disease has been seen. The employed therapy in this patient might be encouraging for a comparable treatment of pneumological complications resulting from similar clinical pictures.
Perings
S M
SM
Klinik für Kardiologie, Pneumologie und Angiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. perings@uni-duesseldorf.de
Hennersdorf
M
M
Koch
J A
JA
Perings
C
C
Kelm
M
M
Heintzen
M P
MP
Strauer
B E
BE
D000328:Adult; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008899:Mineral Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011017:Pneumonia, Lipid / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008899:Mineral Oil
Entwicklung einer lipoiden Pneumonie als Folge einer intravenösen Injektion von Lampenöl in suizidaler Absicht.