A family of 4 (ages 46, 5, 15 and 17) presented to the Emergency Department for an “unknown gas leak” at their apartment complex. EMS reported 2 elderly patients who were reported dead in their apartment. The patients presented with flu-like symptoms as well as a headache. In the ED, 2 of the 4 were febrile and 3 of the 4 patients were tachycardic but all had normal oxygen saturations on room air without evidence of respiratory distress.
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The Toxic Shelf: Ethylene Glycol - the Drink you Shouldn't Accept at a Party.
Case: A 23-year-old male with no past medical history presents with abdominal pain, altered mental status, nausea, and vomiting, after ingestion of approximately 2 cups (~100cc) of antifreeze at a party two days before presentation.
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Laundry Detergent Pods
A 2-year-old female was brought in by EMS after mom heard a scream and found her daughter had gotten into the laundry detergent packs approximately 30 minutes ago. Mom arrives with a half-eaten Tide Pod in hand and tells us that she immediately induced vomiting and called emergency services. On initial exam, the toddler is playful and interactive and has Mountain Breeze on her breath. You vaguely remember kids on the internet eating Tide Pods as a challenge several years ago, but you’re just an intern and are not sure how to move forward otherwise. Luckily, the toxicology fellow just so happens to also be one of your attendings tonight, and they fill you in with more than you ever wanted to know about this potentially fatal ingestion.
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