Intravenous Poison Hemlock Injection Resulting in Prolonged Respiratory Failure and Encephalopathy.
Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is a common plant with a significant toxicity. Data on this toxicity is sparse as there have been few case reports and never a documented poisoning after intravenous injection.



We present a case of intravenous poison hemlock injection encountered in the emergency department.



We describe a 30-year-old male who presented to the emergency department after a brief cardiac arrest after injecting poison hemlock. The patient had return of spontaneous circulation in the emergency department but had prolonged muscular weakness and encephalopathy later requiring tracheostomy.



Intravenous injection of poison hemlock alkaloids can result in significant toxicity, including cardiopulmonary arrest, prolonged weakness, and encephalopathy.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Meads Hall 1 Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC, 27103, USA. douglasbrtalikdo@gmail.com.
Douglas
D
Brtalik
Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Meads Hall 1 Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC, 27103, USA.
Jason
J
Stopyra
Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Meads Hall 1 Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC, 27103, USA.
Jennifer
J
Hannum
D000328:Adult; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000506:poisoning*; D029982:Conium / Q000506:poisoning*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D013997:Time Factors
D000470:Alkaloids
Encephalopathy; Hemlock; Injection; Poison hemlock