The Dangers of Drinking Drain Cleaner: A Shocking Scenario
It's not every day that you hear about people accidentally drinking drain cleaner, mistaking it for something harmless. But what would happen if such an incident occurred? In this post, we'll delve into the grim details of what could transpire in cases of drain cleaner ingestion. Join me as we explore the anatomy of a drain cleaning disaster.
Imagine a quick scenario: someone absentmindedly pours drain cleaner into a cup while on a video call with a friend. They believed they were pouring juice from a can, as both the can and the cleaner's container felt surprisingly similar. Without a second thought, they take the first gulp, only to realize that they've ingested a deadly poison.
This individual isn't one to pay much attention to things and possesses an unwavering belief in their own invincibility. So, they wash down the cleaner with milk and continue with their activities as if nothing happened. The next day, the individual went to use the toilet, and they're met with a shocking sight as the feces from the body resembles asphalt in the toilet. This is because there have been serious hemorrhaging taking place in his stomach. He started to develop stomach pains that he negligent, he thought it was his ulcer which would flare up sometimes for unknown reasons.
However, as time passes after ingesting the cleaner, they notice a strange taste in their mouth, sores on their tongue, and a sensation like hair is growing in their throat which is a harsh, inflammatory response to a corrosive substance. His stomach ulcer began to worsen as the day went on. He decided to take his ulcer medication so he didn't feel those burns but then it continued. So he got to the hospital presenting with hematemesis (vomiting blood), which means that blood was already in his stomach or gut. His stool was tarry and on examination, showed it was excretion of dead red blood cell.
Before you dismiss this story as too far-fetched, let's examine the components of a typical drain cleaner. These cleaners typically contain sodium hypochlorite (bleach), sodium chloride (table salt), and sodium hydroxide (caustic soda or lye). It's reasonable to conclude that ingesting sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns, explaining the burns observed in the case scenario on the individual's mouth, tongue, and gastrointestinal tract.
Cleaners are high base substances and not acid and when they come in contact with human tissues, they can cause damage to the tissues. This is because the cells of humans is made up of a lipid bilayer so when cleaners are ingested, saponification occurs where the lining of the membrane tissues are ripped off.
The ripping of the linings of his gastrointestinal tract could deepen his ulcers which could lead to bleeding in the stomach and esophagus. These areas can become liquified and necrosed, they esophagus also began to have tighten up (stricture). Subsequently, blood pressure can drop, heart rate increases, and damage to the liver and kidneys can occur. The caustic burn can lead to perforation of the gastrointestinal tract, causing gut bacteria to escape and trigger inflammation. This inflammation causes blood vessels to dilate, further lowering blood pressure and impeding oxygen delivery to internal organs. At this critical juncture, as vital organs start to shut down, the brain becomes hypoxic, deprived of oxygen.
Without prompt intervention, this patient's life hangs in the balance. It's crucial to understand that ingesting any type of cleaning agent can result in severe organ damage and, ultimately, loss of life.
Read More
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441921/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10192136/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7216025/
https://casereports.bmj.com/content/13/9/e237079
https://poisoncontrol.utah.edu/news/2021/11/case-file-pediatric-caustic-exposures
https://www.poison.org/articles/whats-in-drain-cleaner
Image 1 || Flickr ||Mario's Drinking Water From A BLEACH Bottle
Image 2 || Wikimedia commons || Exfoliation of esophageal mucosa
Unless a person is suicidal, there shouldn't be a reason to ingest any cleaning agent. Also, it is commn to always find instruction such as wash eye properly, take milk when swallowed and visit a physician but then a lot of people follow the former and leave the later.
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