Intracranial Bleeding in Methanol Intoxication Case

Abstract

Methyl alcohol, which is mostly used in the industrial sector, is also widely used in our country to obtain cheap drinks. It is a colorless, volatile liquid with a distinctive odor. Even 8-10 ml of methanol taken into the body from outside is toxic. Approximately 25-30 ml of methanol can cause poisoning that can lead to permanent blindness. The best method for the definitive diagnosis of methyl alcohol poisoning is to measure the methanol level in the blood. Patients may develop headache, central nervous system depression, coma and seizure. Imaging is recommended in patients with altered consciousness. Putaminal necrosis and intracranial hemorrhage (SAH, putaminal intraparenchymal hemorrhage) may develop in these patients. Our case is a 50-year-old male patient with a history of constant homemade alcohol consumption. The patient was brought with complaints of visual impairment and confusion after drinking alcohol. Basal ganglia hemorrhage was detected on the patient's cranial tomography. The patient, who was admitted to intensive care, deteriorated and died on the 4th day of his treatment. Morbidity and mortality rates can be very high in patients presenting with suspected methanol intoxication. Therefore, we wanted to emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.