Patient emits potentially harmful gas; hazmat called to Ann Arbor hospital

Source: Detroit Free Press

A patient who apparently ingested rodent poison and is emitting potentially harmful gasses has created a hazardous material situation at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor.

The man is isolated in his room in the medical intensive care unit on the hospital’s sixth floor, 5301 McAuley at East Huron River Drive, hospital spokeswoman Lauren Jones said this afternoon.

“The hospital is open and the situation is isolated,” she said, adding that she was unable to discuss the man’s condition or other specifics due to patient privacy laws. Traffic in that area is restricted to staff involved in direct patient care and Washtenaw County Hazardous Material Team workers, according to the hospital.

Joyce Williams, public affairs manager for Huron Valley Ambulance, said rescuers transported the man to the hospital either late Saturday night or early Sunday. But the hazmat team was called between 10:30 and 11 a.m. today when the man’s body began creating suspicious emissions, she said. . .

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110425/NEWS05/110425043/Patient-emits-potentially-harmful-gas-hazmat-called-Ann-Arbor-hospital?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

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Say what you will - it is indeed Latest Breaking . . . News.

thank god for positive air systems.

the room will have a negative pressure to evacuate the gas...

Latest breaking wind. :shrug:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Ramirez">Gloria Ramirez?

(Zinc phospide is an alternative rat poison to warfarin)

So, yeah, this could be serious, as phosphine gas can cause respiratory failure and death.

Actually I think it *was* an episode on ER, but I can't find it.

-Hoot

Never go on a trip...in the Mid West...in the winter with a guys who loves him some pickled eggs.

--you have no idea how bad this can get!

below zero temps. we were doing 60 with the windows down. I barfed out the window and it froze on the company truck. It was a badge of honor to this guy. He was a Haz Mat emergency on legs!

I quit when we got back.

Eh.