MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Ink remover

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Ink remover

Contents of this page:
Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms Home Treatment	Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

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 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.

Update Date: 4/16/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.