Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2025 May 2;25(1):50-53.
doi: 10.18295/squmj.7.2024.048. eCollection 2025.

A Rare Case of Acute Carbon Monoxide Toxicity Mimicking Stroke and Successfully Managed with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Yasser K Al Lawati  1 , Darpanarayan Hazra  2 , Awatif K A Al-Alawi  2 , Suad Al Abri  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Rare Case of Acute Carbon Monoxide Toxicity Mimicking Stroke and Successfully Managed with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Yasser K Al Lawati et al. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. .

Abstract

Acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning significantly impacts neurological function, stemming from incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials; this poses a substantial risk. Symptoms range from mild headaches to severe neurological complications, complicating diagnosis. Primary treatment involves supplemental oxygen via a non-rebreather mask. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), though debated, initiated within 6 hours, may enhance carboxyhaemoglobin (CO-Hb) elimination and tissue oxygenation, even with decreased CO-Hb levels. We report an 82-year-old female patient who presented to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman, in 2024 with symptoms initially suggestive of a cerebrovascular event. However, further history and examination revealed indications of acute CO poisoning, likely due to exposure to a charcoal-burning heater. Despite stable vital signs, her CO-Hb and lactates levels were high. Treatment with normobaric oxygen therapy resulted in some improvement, but significant neurological recovery was achieved with HBOT. This case represents the first documented instance of successful HBOT treatment for acute CO toxicity in Oman.

Keywords: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Carboxyhemoglobin; Case Report; Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy; Neurological Manifestation; Oman; Poisoning.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Hanley ME, Patel PH. Carbon monoxide toxicity. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL, USA:StatPearls Publishing, 2024.
    1. Palmeri R, Gupta V. Carboxyhemoglobin toxicity. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL, USA:StatPearls Publishing, 2024. - PubMed
    1. Hampson NB, Weaver LK. Carbon monoxide poisoning: A new incidence for an old disease. Undersea Hyperb Med 2007; 34:163–8. - PubMed
    1. Alharthy N, Alanazi A, Almoqaytib A, Alharbi B, Alshaibani R, Albuniyan J, et al. Demographics and clinical characteristics of carbon monoxide poisoning for patients attending in the emergency department at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Int J Emerg Med 2024; 17:25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00600-w. 10.1186/s12245-024-00600-w - DOI - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Alberreet MS, Ferwana MS, AlSalamah MA, Alsegayyir AM, Alhussaini AI, Alotaibi YM, et al. The incidence and risk factors of carbon monoxide poisoning in the Middle East and North Africa: Systematic review. J Health Inform Dev Ctries 2019; 13:1–18. 10.3855/jidc.10404 - DOI

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources