Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

  • Volume 34
  • /
  • Pages.19.1-19.9
  • /
  • 2022
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  • 1225-3618(pISSN)
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  • 2052-4374(eISSN)
The Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (대한직업환경의학회)
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Carbon monoxide poisoning-induced encephalopathy in a carbon dioxide arc welder: a case report

  • Seongwon Ma (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency) ;
  • Hoekyeong Seo (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency) ;
  • Dong Joon Park (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency) ;
  • Byeongju Choi (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency) ;
  • Shinhee Ye (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency)
  • Received : 2022.04.08
  • Accepted : 2022.07.13
  • Published : 2022.12.31
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Abstract

Background: It is widely known that carbon dioxide (CO2) arc welding generates carbon monoxide (CO). However, to the best of our knowledge, no case reports have been published regarding CO poisoning in CO2 arc welders. Therefore, we aimed to report a case of CO poisoning-induced encephalopathy in a CO2 arc welder in the Republic of Korea to inform about the dangers of CO exposure among CO2arc welders. Case presentation: A 40-year-old man working as a CO2 arc welder for 15 years visited a local hospital with a tremor, involuntary urination, and speaking gibberish, on April 9, 2019. He stated that he had intermittent headache and forgetting symptoms for the last 5 years, and had been lost on the way to work several times. On April 9, 2019, he was diagnosed with CO poisoning-induced encephalopathy through brain magnetic resonance imaging. He received hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and some of his symptoms improved. According to the exposure assessment of his work environment, he was continuously exposed to high concentrations of CO for 15 years while operating CO2 arc welding machines. Conclusions: After evaluating the patient's work environment and evaluating his medical history, we concluded that his encephalopathy was caused by CO exposure during CO2 arc welding. Thus CO2 arc welders must be aware of the risk of CO poisoning and strive to avoid CO exposure.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The present study utilized data, which were obtained from the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute(OSHRI) in Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) and did not include identifiable personal information.

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