Citation

Richardson PG. Emerg. Med. Australas. 2010; 22(1): 88-90.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1742-6723.2009.01262.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Undifferentiated neurological presentations are not uncommon to the ED. Vitamin B (12) deficiency can lead to progressive demyelination and axonal lesions on the peripheral nerves and cervicothoracic spinal cord causing a peripheral neuropathy. Nitrous oxide is a common adjuvant to anaesthesia in the ED but it not often thought of as a drug of abuse. A case is reported of prolonged and intensive nitrous oxide abuse that resulted in the development of a peripheral neuropathy.