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Critical airway induced by formalin injection: case report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2013

C-F Yeh  and
T-L Lee
C-F Yeh
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Department of Otolaryngology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
T-L Lee*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Department of Otolaryngology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
*
Address for correspondence: Dr T-L Lee, Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, Republic of China Fax: +886 2 28757338 E-mail: ent2424@gmail.com
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Abstract

Background:

Formalin is a saturated aqueous solution comprising 37–40 per cent formaldehyde. It is often used in histopathology laboratories as a tissue preservative. The ingestion or injection of formalin has an immediate, powerful and destructive impact on humans. This paper reports a case of formalin injection and reviews the relevant world literature.

Case report:

A 36-year-old male attempted suicide by injecting formalin into the right side of his neck, resulting in a critical airway situation. An endotracheal tube was inserted and a tracheostomy was then performed to secure his airway. After receiving medical treatment, including antibiotics and N-acetyl cysteine, the status of the patient's airway improved.

Conclusion:

When examining patients who have injected substances into their neck, the possibility of deep neck inflammation with airway compromise should be considered. Immediate management, which should include establishment of a definitive airway and prophylactic infection control, is crucial.

Keywords

FormalinAirway ObstructionComputed Tomography, X-Ray
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 128 , Issue 1 , January 2014 , pp. 107 - 109
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013 

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