Cardiac Arrest due to Butane Gas Inhalation in an 18 Years Old Boy

Abstract

An 18-year-old male smoker inhaled butane gas out of a pocket lighter with his friend for the purpose of changing his voice. He suddenly collapsed and lost his consciousness. Upon arrival to the Emergency Department, he was found pulseless with a rhythm of ventricular fibrillation. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was initiated according to the advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocol for three cycles until return of spontaneous circulation archived. After extubation, the patient was ataxic and had significant memory loss and severe confusion. Days later he improved and was discharged with walking aid for his ataxia and a plan to followup with the neurology team for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and electroencephalogram (EEG) as an outpatient.