Oropharyngeal airway obstruction after the accidental ingestion of Arisaema amurense.

BACKGROUND

Arisaema amurense is widely known in Korean folklore as a poisonous plant, and its lethal toxicity has long been recognized. The toxicity of Arisaema amurense is due to its content of calcium oxalate, which causes painful oropharyngeal edema, hypersalivation, aphonia, oral ulceration, esophageal erosion, and hypocalcemia.

OBJECTIVE

We report a case of accidental poisoning after ingestion of the rhizome of Arisaema amurense, resulting in airway obstruction that required endotracheal intubation.

METHODS

A 60-year-old man developed oral pain and swelling after accidentally ingesting a rhizome from the Arisaema amurense plant as a medicinal herb. His symptoms worsened upon his arrival in the Emergency Department, and he was unable to speak due to oral swelling and hypersalivation. The patient underwent endotracheal intubation to protect his airway and was treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids. Three days after treatment, he had improved and was extubated.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe an emergent treatment course for a patient with acute airway obstruction resulting from the ingestion of Arisaema amurense.