Abstract: Cresol is commonly used in homes and hospitals as a disinfectant. In dentistry, formocresol (FC) is often used for infectious root canal therapy. Too much cresol ingestion causes severe systemic failure. An autopsy of fatal cresol poisoning is described.
Case report: A 23-year-old Japanese female was admitted to ICU of Tohoku University Medical Hospital with a history that she had taken up to 100 ml of cresol soap solution 4 hours earlier. On arrival, she was semiconscious with cresol breathodor, 32.5°C body temperature and 75/50 mmHg blood pressure. Gastric lavage was not performed because of severe esophageal edema. She died after blood plasma transfusion, hemodialysis and blood filtering performed for about 60 hours. Post-mortem examination demonstrated 1) digestive tract failure: necrotizing inflammation of oro-pharynx, larynx, esophagus and stomach, 2) respiratory tract failure: sputum in trachea and bronchi, edema and hemorrhage of lung, 3) hepatic failure: severe centrolobular necrosis, 4) renal failure: tubular degeneration and 5) hemorrhagic diathesis.
