• Chang Hwan Sohn, Seung Mok Ryoo, and Bum Jin Oh.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
• J Emerg Med. 2013 Sep 1;45(3):352-4.

BackgroundArisaema amurense is widely known in Korean folklore as a poisonous plant, and its lethal toxicity has long been recognized. The toxicity of Arisaema amurense is due to its content of calcium oxalate, which causes painful oropharyngeal edema, hypersalivation, aphonia, oral ulceration, esophageal erosion, and hypocalcemia.ObjectiveWe report a case of accidental poisoning after ingestion of the rhizome of Arisaema amurense, resulting in airway obstruction that required endotracheal intubation.Case ReportA 60-year-old man developed oral pain and swelling after accidentally ingesting a rhizome from the Arisaema amurense plant as a medicinal herb. His symptoms worsened upon his arrival in the Emergency Department, and he was unable to speak due to oral swelling and hypersalivation. The patient underwent endotracheal intubation to protect his airway and was treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids. Three days after treatment, he had improved and was extubated.ConclusionWe describe an emergent treatment course for a patient with acute airway obstruction resulting from the ingestion of Arisaema amurense.Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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