A case of surfactant self-poisoning with laundry detergent pods

• Published in: KANTO Journal of Japanese Association for Acute Medicine Vol. 44; no. 4; pp. 362 - 365
• Main Authors: Higuchi, Yosui, Takeda, Taichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Association for Acute Medicine of Kanto 28.12.2023; 日本救急医学会関東地方会
• Subjects: alkyl ether sulfates; disturbance of consciousness; linear alkyl benzene sulfonates; polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers; アルキルエーテル硫酸エステル塩; ポリオキシエチレンアルキルエーテル; 意識障害; 直鎖アルキルベンゼンスルホン酸塩
• ISSN: 0287-301X; 2434-2580
• DOI: 10.24697/jaamkanto.44.4_362

A man in his 70s was found unconscious at home by his family and transferred to our hospital. His medical history included alcoholism, bipolar disorder, and diabetic nephropathy (on dialysis). Blue stomach contents were found from nasogastric tube and surfactant poisoning from laundry detergent pods found in his home was suspected. He was intubated and administered hemodialysis. His consciousness was improved and he was extubated on day 5 and transferred to a psychiatric hospital on day 23 of hospitalization. We have to be cautious that laundry detergent pods contain high concentrations of surfactants and can cause serious poisoning.