Freon: Accidental ingestion and gastric perforation

Abstract

Introduction. Freons generally have a low order of toxicity, but exposure to relatively high concentrations (>100 ppm) may produce adverse effects on health. Currently, intoxication reports are unintentional inhalation of CFCs. We report an unintentional ingestion of a mixture of CFCs and the results of a rat study. Case Report. A 43-year-old man was admitted to the Emergency Department with a chief complaint of acute abdominal pain that developed minutes after he ingested a clear liquid in a water glass, which contained a mixture of Freon and water. Subsequent surgical evaluation revealed perforation of the stomach and necrosis of the stomach wall. He developed a transient rise in his hepatic transaminases, which resolved spontaneously, and fully recovered from his surgery. Methods. A murine model of the injury was created to evaluate threshold concentration and effect of time on injury grade. Results. Injury grade increased with delay to histologic analysis from 8 to 24 hours after exposure to Freon. Increasing amounts of Freon also increased the lesion grade score. Conclusions. Patients ingesting Freon need to be closely evaluated for risk of gastric damage and perforation.