Ink remover

Definition:

Ink removers usually contain some form of alcohol, either ethanol (drinking alcohol), methanol (wood alcohol, which is extremely toxic), or isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol, which is also very toxic).

Poisonous Ingredient:

ethanol
methanol
isopropyl alcohol

Where Found:

ink removers
liquid bleaches

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms:

For ethanol:

stupor
unconsciousness
decreased respirations
brain damage

For methanol and isopropyl alcohol:

body as a whole
- weakness
- leg cramps
- convulsions
- severe disturbance in blood pH leading to multi-organ failure
kidneys
- renal failure
respiratory
- rapid, shallow breathing
- stopped breathing (see breathing difficulties - first aid)
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- blurred vision
- blindness
- dilation of the pupils
skin
- cyanosis (blue skin, lips, or fingernails)
gastrointestinal
- nausea
- vomiting
heart and blood vessels
- low blood pressure
nervous system
- coma
- fatigue
- headache
- dizziness

Home Treatment:

DO NOT INDUCE EMESIS (VOMITING). If the product is on the skin, wash with lots of water. Seek emergency medical care immediately.

Before Calling Emergency:

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
the name of the product (ingredients and strengths, 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
- Immediate hemodialysis may be required for survival
- 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

Expectations (prognosis):

Prognosis and recovery depend on the type of alcohol consumed and the time to treatment. Methanol and isopropyl alcohol are extremely toxic, and relatively low doses can lead to permanent organ damage or death.

Review Date: 3/14/2002
Reviewed By: Kevin G. Wheeler, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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