Seek emergency medical care immediately. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO. If patient is conscious give a small amount of fluid (milk or water) to stop local irritation and burning of mouth and throat.
Before Calling Emergency:
Determine the following information:
The patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product (as well as the ingredients and strength, if known)
The time it was swallowed
The amount swallowed
Poison Control, or a local emergency number:
See Poison Control Centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.
What to expect at the emergency room:
Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:
For swallowed poison
Placement of a tube down the nose and into the stomach (a nasogastric tube, or an NG tube) to wash out the stomach
Activated charcoal administration
Endoscopy -- the placement of a camera down the throat to see the extent of burns to the esophagus and the stomach
Give IV fluids
Admission to the hospital
Give an antidote
Treat the symptoms
For inhaled poisons
A breathing tube may need to be inserted
Oxygen
Admission to the hospital or to the intensive care unit
Bronchoscopy (inserting a camera down the throat into the airway to evaluate the extent of burns to the airway and lungs)
For skin exposure
Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
Skin debridement (surgical removal of burned skin)
Admission or transfer to a hospital that specializes in burn care
Expectations (prognosis):
Extensive damage to the mouth, throat, and stomach are possible. The ultimate outcome depends on the extent of this damage. Damage can continue to occur for several weeks after the substance was swallowed. Death may occur.
Review Date: 4/16/2004
Reviewed By: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
