title: An autopsy case of methanol induced intracranial hemorrhage.
abstract: The major component of car washer fluid is a methanol. Intracranial hemorrhage is a rare but lethal complication in methanol poisoning. We report a case of massive bilateral basal ganglia hematoma in a 32-year-old man with methanol poisoning. He drank car washer solution twice time (about 500 ml), and was admitted to a territorial hospital 10 hours post-ingestion for depressed mental status, lower blood pressure, and high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Computed tomographic (CT) scan showed lesions in both putamen and cerebral deep white matter. Twenty-one days after methanol exposure, he suddenly developed cardiorespiratory arrest. In autopsy, external examination revealed moderate cerebral edema, but no evidence of herniation. Coronal sections of the brain showed softening and about 34 g hematoma in the bilateral putamen and 3rd ventricles. The toxic effect of methanol on the visual system has been noted in the absence of neurologic manifestations; however, there have also been a report of concomitant brain in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School Gwangju, Korea ; Department of Pathology, Saint Carollo Hospital Sun-Cheon, Chonnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Forensic Medicine, National Forensic Service Jangseong-Gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Saint Carollo Hospital Sun-Cheon, Chonnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Jik
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000473:pathology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006406:Hematoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000432:Methanol
keywords: Methanol poisoning; autopsy; car washer fluid; intoxication; intracranial hemorrhage