Citation

Brtalik D, Stopyra J, Hannum J. J. Med. Toxicol. 2017; 13(2): 180-182.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Meads Hall 1 Medical Center Blvd, Winston Salem, NC, 27103, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s13181-017-0601-0

PMID

28168558

Abstract

BACKGROUND: 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.

OBJECTIVES: We present a case of intravenous poison hemlock injection encountered in the emergency department. CASE REPORT: 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.

CONCLUSION: Intravenous injection of poison hemlock alkaloids can result in significant toxicity, including cardiopulmonary arrest, prolonged weakness, and encephalopathy.

Language: en

Keywords

Encephalopathy; Hemlock; Injection; Poison hemlock