NEAR-FATAL RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS FOLLOWING MASSIVE ETHER INTRAVENOUS-INJECTION

To the best of our knowledge, no case of ether-induced acute respirato ry distress syndrome (ARDS) has been published as yet, A 36-year-old f emale developed pneumonitis which showed all the characteristics of a chemical-associated ARDS due to intravenous self-administration of eth er: the hemodynamic investigation demonstrated a normal blood flow pat tern with low left-heart filling pressure while the anteroposterior ro entgenogram evidenced disseminated bilateral lung edema. Advanced symp tomatic respiratory support including inhaled nitric oxide and steroid al antiinflammatory use was the treatment of choice.