Serious complications associated with Dettol poisoning.

Dettol is involved in 10% of self-poisoning-related hospital admissions in Hong Kong. Although serious poisonings and even deaths after ingesting this common household disinfectant have been reported, the frequency with which these complications may occur is not known. In a retrospective study of 67 cases of Dettol poisoning, we found that serious complications were relatively common (8%) and these included aspiration of Dettol with gastric contents resulting in pneumonia, cardiopulmonary arrest, bronchospasm, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and severe laryngeal oedema with upper airways obstruction. It is particularly important that the airways are adequately protected before the patient is lavaged following Dettol poisoning, and the immediate recognition of any upper airway obstruction requiring intubation will then be life-saving.