ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Butane gas is inhaled by young people with the aim of getting 'high'. This can cause coronary spasm with myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation as a result. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report on a 16-year-old male who collapsed at home after sniffing butane. His father, together with a paramedical emergency team that had found ventricular fibrillation, started basic and advanced life support. ECG showed exaggerated ST-elevations and an echocardiography showed a hypokinetic anterior ventricular wall and ventricular septum. After treatment with dobutamine, nitroglycerine, acetylsalicylic acid and dalteparine, the ECG and left ventricular function improved. He was admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit where he was artificially ventilated for 4 days and treated for cardiogenic shock. In the following days his cardiovascular condition improved. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no ischaemic damage of the brain. At 6 weeks his general condition was not as before, but ECG and cardiac function had almost recovered. CONCLUSION: Young people who experiment with inhalation of volatile substances generally do not know how dangerous this is. Provision of information about the possible consequences will have a preventive effect.
