Korean J Nephrol.  2004 Nov;23(6):1015-1019.

A Case of Acute Ethanol Intoxication Complicated with Sciatic Neuropathy Treated with Hemodialysis

• Han KW
• Lee KH
• Park MY
• Lee WB
• Song MS
• Choi SJ
• Kim NR
• Suk H
• Kim JK
• Hwang SD

Abstract

A 20-year-old man presented with semicoma due to severe ethanol intoxication. Initially, his blood ethanol level was markedly elevated to 73 mmol/L. The patient's level of consciousness did not change for 6 hours with conservative treatment. In an attempt to expedite his recovery, hemodialysis was started using a femoral vein catheter. After an initial session of hemodialysis, his blood ethanol level was decreased to 19 mmol/L, and his mental status showed improvement. Subsequent hemodialysis further reduced his blood ethanol concentration to 3 mmol/L and improved his consciousness level. The patient was treated conservatively for additional complications caused by ethanol toxicity including liver failure, rhabdomyolysis and peripheral polyneuropathy. Most commonly, peripheral polyneuropathy is related with chronic ethanol intoxication and it is extremely rare in acute ethanol intoxication. We report a case of peripheral polyneuropathy related with acute ethanol intoxication and suggest that hemodialysis should be considered in patients with severe ethanol intoxication for life preservation and prevention of complications.

Keyword

Ethanol intoxication; Hemodialysis; Polyneuropathy

MeSH Terms

Catheters
Consciousness
Ethanol*
Femoral Vein
Humans
Liver Failure
Polyneuropathies
Renal Dialysis*
Rhabdomyolysis
Sciatic Neuropathy*
Young Adult
Ethanol