Definition

This is poisoning from swallowing chlorinated lime.

Poisonous Ingredient

Chlorinated lime (a corrosive alkali)

Where Found

  • Bleach
  • Used in a number of manufacturing processes

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

  • Lungs and airways
    • Breathing difficulty (from inhalation)
    • Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)
  • Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
    • Severe pain in the throat
    • Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
    • Loss of vision
  • Gastrointestinal
    • Severe abdominal pain
    • Vomiting
    • Burns and possible holes of the esophagus (food pipe)
    • Vomiting blood
    • Blood in the stool
  • Heart and blood
    • Hypotension (low blood pressure) develops rapidly
    • Collapse
  • Skin
    • Irritation
    • Burns
    • Necrosis (holes) in the skin or underlying tissues
  • Blood
    • Severe change in the acid level in the blood (pH balance), which leads to damage in all of the body organs)

Home Treatment

DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional. Seek immediate medical help.

If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.

If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed otherwise by a health care provider. DO NOT give water or milk if the patient is having symptoms (such as vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.

If the person breathed in the poison, immediately move him or her to fresh air.

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

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See National Poison Control center.

What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The patient may receive:

  • Medicines to treat symptoms, including large doses of pain medication
  • A nasogastric (NG) tube thru the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage)
  • Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
  • Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs Oxygen
  • Breathing tube
  • Irrigation (washing of the skin), perhaps every few hours for several days
  • Skin debridment (surgical removal of burned skin)

Expectations (prognosis)

How well a patient does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a patient gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

This type of poison can cause severe burns inside the entire gastrointestinal tract.

Review Date:5/16/2006
Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.