- Failure of the physician to recognize severe poisoning despite the latent period.
- Failure to diagnose methanol toxicity at all.
- Delayed patient presentation.
Post Mortem Findings
Hyperaemia, congestion and inflammation of the mucus membrane of the stomach and intestine. Patchy submucus hemorrhagic spots. Fat necrosis in peritoneum. Brain with its meninges will be congested and edematous.
Lungs
Congested and edematous Desquamation of bronchial epithelium Emphysema
Liver
- Congested
- Showing parenchymatous degeneration
Pancreas
- Necrosis and Hemorrhage
- Bladder mucosa congested
Eyes
- Degenerative changes n corneal epithelium.
- Oedema of optic discs
- Optic nerve atrophy
Cloudy changes in the myocardium
CNS Changes
- Shrinkage and degeneration of parietal cortical neurons
- Putamental degeneration and necrosis
- Sponginess and hemorrhage in optic chiasma
Renal changes
- Kidney congested
- Renal tubular degeneration with patchy necrosis
- Severe congestion of peritubular capillaries
- Moderate glomerular capillary dilation and congestion
- Mild endothelial swelling
- Mild mesangial proliferation
References
- Hyperamylasemia Following Methyl Alcohol Intoxication, Arch. Int. Med. 1986, 146,193–4.
- Serum Formate Concentrations in Methanol Intoxication as a Criterion for Hemodialysis. Ann. Int. Med. 1986, 104, 200–3.
- Textbook of Pharmacology by Goodman and Gillman.
- Methanol poisoning – Diagnosis and Treatment. Post. Grad. Med. Dec 1987,82(8),149–51.
- Severe Methanol Poisoning Am. Jr. Med. Nov. 1979, 67, 804–7.
- Clinical and Metabolic Features of Ethanol Methanol Poisoning in Chronic Alcoholics. Lancet, 13Feb1988, 1(8581), 327–8. Methyl Alcohol Poisoning – An Autopsy Study. Jr. Post. Grad. Med. 1990, 37(1), 9–13.
