Oven cleaners

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Oven cleaners

Alternative Names:

Corrosive alkalis

Home Treatment:

Seek emergency medical care immediately. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING.

If the cleaner is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes. Move the person to fresh air.

If the cleaner was swallowed, give water or milk IMMEDIATELY. If the patient is vomiting, keep giving water or milk. DO NOT TRY TO NEUTRALIZE the alkali by giving vinegar or lemon juice -- this may cause more severe burning.

Before Calling Emergency:

Determine the following information:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of 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):

The prognosis (probable outcome) depends on how rapidly the alkali is diluted. Extensive damage to the mouth, throat, and stomach are possible. The ultimate outcome depends on the extent of this damage.

Damage continues to occur to the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the alkali was swallowed. Death may occur as long as a month later.

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.

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