Delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae after acute hydrogen sulfide poisoning: affection of motor function, memory, vision and hearing

Abstract

A shipyard worker was poisoned by hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and rescued after 15-20 min. He regained consciousness after 2 days. Three days later his condition deteriorated, and he was more or less comatose for a month. When he woke up, he was amnesic, nearly blind, had reduced hearing, and had a moderate spastic tetraparesis and ataxia. Two months after the accident, he had greatly improved. Audiograms showed hearing loss with maximum at 2000 Hz and significantly poorer speech discrimination. EEG showed generalized dysrhythmia. At follow-up 5 years later he had not been able to resume his work, and had slight motor, memory and visual symptoms. CT and MRI showed slight cerebral atrophy. EEG and evoked responses were normal.