Intravenous xylene poisoning

Abstract

A 30-year-old man injected intravenously 8 ml of xylene in a suicidal attempt. After 10 min he developed acute pulmonary failure requiring intubation controlled ventilation with PEEP and high FiO2. Combined hemoperfusion and hemodialysis were carried out for 4 h. By 8 days later the patient was weaned from the ventilator and after 14 days transferred to the Department of Psychiatry with normal blood gases. Pulmonary failure threatened the patient's life, therefore treatment of this was dominant in the therapy. © 1992 Springer-Verlag.