A case report of intravenous ethchlorvynol-induced pulmonary edema is presented. Approximately 450 mg of ethchlorvynol was withdrawn from a Placidyl® capsule and injected by a 30-year-old man. Respiratory symptoms occurred within twenty minutes and a chest X-ray taken within two hours revealed diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. The patient's condition improved rapidly.
A pertinent feature of the case is the comparatively low dose of ethchlorvynol which caused pulmonary edema. It is also of note that two colleagues of the patient did not have evidence of any adverse effects after injecting approximately 180 mg of ethchlorvynol.
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