Acute phenol poisoning: a life-threatening hazard of chronic pain relief.
BACKGROUND
Phenol (carbolic acid, a higher alcohol) has been used for local analgesic therapy for a long time. Several complications of phenol therapy can occur by exposure through inhalational, oral, and dermal routes. Renal and pulmonary toxicity arising from the exposure to injectable phenol, however, has only been reported in a few case reports.


METHODS
A 50-year-old man inadvertently received 10 cc of 89% phenol injection. It resulted in the development of acute respiratory and renal failure requiring intubation and hemodialysis, respectively. He improved clinically with the recovery of renal function. However, the chest x-ray and CT scan showed persistent nodular pulmonary infiltrates which resolved by six months.


CONCLUSIONS
We report here an unusual case of acute respiratory and acute renal failure following accidental overdose of phenol. The case highlights potential development of multiple organ failure with persistence of organ dysfunction, an unusual danger associated with the overdose of injectable phenol for neurolysis.
Gupta
Sachin
S
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. sachinguptamd@gmail.com
Ashrith
Guha
G
Chandra
Divay
D
Gupta
Aditya Kumar
AK
Finkel
Kewin W
KW
Guntupalli
Jayarama S
JS
D000208:Acute Disease; D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D062787:Drug Overdose; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010636:Phenols / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000700:Analgesics; D010636:Phenols