Published online Oct 6, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i28.10201
Peer-review started: April 11, 2022
First decision: July 11, 2022
Revised: July 20, 2022
Accepted: August 23, 2022
Article in press: August 23, 2022
Published online: October 6, 2022
Processing time: 169 Days and 3.7 Hours
Pipeline dredging agents are new household deep cleaning products used to dredge blockages in kitchen and bathroom pipeline caused by grease, hair, vegetable residue, paper cotton fibre, and other organic substances. Pipeline dredging agents are corrosive chemicals that can cause poisoning through corrosive damage to the digestive tract; however, this has not been reported clinically. Therefore, this report emphasises that oral pipeline dredging agent poisoning can cause corrosive damage to the digestive tract and may have serious health consequences.
A 68-year-old man consumed liquor (200 mL) at approximately 13:00 on April 22, 2021. At approximately 16:00, his family found him unresponsive with blackened lips, blood spots in the corners of the mouth, and blood stains on the ground, as well as an empty bottle of a pipeline dredging agent. One hour later, he was admitted to the emergency department of a local hospital. Considering the empty bottle, he was suspected to have sustained severe corrosive damage to the digestive tract and was transferred to our department at 23:15 on April 22, 2021. He developed dysphagia and intermittent fever and experienced difficulty in opening his mouth throughout his hospital stay. The patient’s condition gradually stabilised. However, he suddenly developed respiratory failure on day 12, and endotracheal intubation and ventilator-assisted ventilation were performed. However, the patient died after 1.5 h despite emergency rescue efforts.
Pipeline dredging agents are highly corrosive and may cause corrosive damage to the digestive tract and asphyxia upon consumption.
Core Tip: A 68-year-old man who excessively consumed a pipeline dredging agent and 200 mL liquor was admitted to our hospital for approximately 10 h. The patient was diagnosed with acute pipeline dredging agent poisoning, acute alcohol poisoning, and corrosive damage to the digestive tract. The patient died despite emergency rescue efforts for respiratory failure.