Acute respiratory distress syndrome and lung fibrosis after ingestion of a high dose of ortho-phenylphenol.
Ortho-phenylphenol (OPP) and its sodium salt are used as fungicides and antibacterial agents, ingestion of which has been found to cause liver toxicity, renal toxicity and carcinomas in the urinary tract of rats. Lung damage due to OPP ingestion has not been reported in humans. We report a suicidal 39-year-old woman with stage II cervical cancer who drank a potentially lethal dose of OPP in the form of a commercial antiseptic, which led to the complication of liver and renal function impairment, severe lung damage with acute respiratory distress syndrome and subsequent severe lung fibrosis. Open lung biopsy showed diffuse alveolar damage. She was discharged after 34 days of hospitalization with continuing domiciliary oxygen therapy.
Cheng
Shih-Lung
SL
Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wang
Hao-Chien
HC
Yang
Pan-Chyr
PC
D000328:Adult; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; C004369:2-phenylphenol