摘要
甲醇是一種常見工業溶劑，亦可做為燃料之用，目前世界各地之使用極為廣泛。在台灣，由於甲醇格宜且容易購，所以飲入甲醇而中毒之病例並不少見。甲醇代謝後之產性物，對人體具有極高的危險性。甲醇造成之人類中毒，輕則雙目失明，遺留永久神經損傷；重則導致死亡。由於甲醇中毒有其特飲解毒療法，而且越早治療，成效越好，故迅速正確之診斷，繼之以即時的解毒療法，應可隆低甲醇中毒對人體傷害。早期診斷，即時治療，預後愈佳，這是診治甲醇中毒之不二法門。我報告一個嚴重甲醇中毒的病例，經由醫師迅速確立正確之診斷，當即施以解毒療法，病人厶安然度過中毒急性期；但由於飲入大量甲醇，就醫延遲，雖經救治，病人仍留有嚴重神經損傷等等後遺症，不幸於住院後六十五日死亡。藉此甲醇中毒之病例，我們回顧相關之醫學文獻報告，並進一討論甲醇中毒之早期診斷及即時治療。
並列摘要
Methanol is a highly hazardous substance widely used in industrial products and as a fuel source. Because of its commercial availability in Taiwan, poisoning is not uncommon .Methanol poisoning is usually characterized by a latent period after exposure, during which no clinical symptoms are observed. Methanol undergoes metabolic degradation to cause delayed-onset toxicities, such as gastrointestinal,ophthalmologic,and neurological symptoms. Since early antidotal treatment can provide an excellent outcome, it is curcial to rapidly recognize methanol-related symptoms, followed by prompt institution of specific therapy. The treatment should focus on correction of metabolic acidosis, prevention of methanol conversion to its metabolites , and elimination of toxic substances. The complaint of apparent hangover in the early stage can serve as an alarming clue to methanol exposure, while the most specific symptoms for diagnosis are those of visual disturbances. We describe a 37-year-old man with severe methanol intoxication who survived the acute stage but latter died of neurological complications.